Apple sells out of all iPad mini models as Amazon pans its price
As Apple sold out of its launch inventory of all iPad mini models, online retailer Amazon made a direct assault on the new 7.9-inch tablet, with a large ad on its front page saying the Kindle Fire HD offers "much more for much less."
As the iPad mini was available for preorder at Apple's website all weekend, Amazon ran an advertisement on its front page comparing the Kindle Fire HD to the iPad mini. It panned Apple's new, smaller iPad as having a "standard definition, low-resolution display" with fewer pixels per inch than its Kindle Fire HD.
Amazon also dismissed the fact that the iPad mini has one mono speaker, while the Kindle Fire HD has dual stereo speakers. Amazon's tablet with a 216-pixel-per-inch screen starts at $199, while the iPad mini has an entry price of $329.
In addition to a short comparison of the devices, Amazon's front page also prominently features a quote from Gizmodo calling Apple "ballsy" for charging more for the iPad mini with a lower resolution screen. Gizmodo and Apple have been at odds since the website purchased a prototype iPhone 4 and disassembled it before the product was announced, while the site also pushed the iPhone 4 "antenna-gate" controversy.
Amazon also said that the Kindle Fire HD had its biggest day of sales last Wednesday, the day after Apple announced the iPad mini and its $329 starting price. Sales of the Kindle Fire HD were up three times what they were in the previous week, the company said in a statement to AllThingsD.
The online retailer does not release its sales data, so it's unknown exactly how many of the Kindle Fire HD it sold. But the company has consistently said the Kindle Fire is the best selling product on its entire store.
Also unknown are how many iPad mini units Apple will be able to build ahead of Friday's launch. But whatever inventory the company will have via its online store has now been sold entirely.
All iPad mini models, in black and slate as well as white and silver, in capacities from 16 gigabytes to 64 gigabytes, are all advertise to ship in two weeks. The white and silver model sold out almost immediately, while the entry 16-gigabyte black and slate iPad mini took 35 hours to sell out.
As the iPad mini was available for preorder at Apple's website all weekend, Amazon ran an advertisement on its front page comparing the Kindle Fire HD to the iPad mini. It panned Apple's new, smaller iPad as having a "standard definition, low-resolution display" with fewer pixels per inch than its Kindle Fire HD.
Amazon also dismissed the fact that the iPad mini has one mono speaker, while the Kindle Fire HD has dual stereo speakers. Amazon's tablet with a 216-pixel-per-inch screen starts at $199, while the iPad mini has an entry price of $329.
In addition to a short comparison of the devices, Amazon's front page also prominently features a quote from Gizmodo calling Apple "ballsy" for charging more for the iPad mini with a lower resolution screen. Gizmodo and Apple have been at odds since the website purchased a prototype iPhone 4 and disassembled it before the product was announced, while the site also pushed the iPhone 4 "antenna-gate" controversy.
Amazon also said that the Kindle Fire HD had its biggest day of sales last Wednesday, the day after Apple announced the iPad mini and its $329 starting price. Sales of the Kindle Fire HD were up three times what they were in the previous week, the company said in a statement to AllThingsD.
The online retailer does not release its sales data, so it's unknown exactly how many of the Kindle Fire HD it sold. But the company has consistently said the Kindle Fire is the best selling product on its entire store.
Also unknown are how many iPad mini units Apple will be able to build ahead of Friday's launch. But whatever inventory the company will have via its online store has now been sold entirely.
All iPad mini models, in black and slate as well as white and silver, in capacities from 16 gigabytes to 64 gigabytes, are all advertise to ship in two weeks. The white and silver model sold out almost immediately, while the entry 16-gigabyte black and slate iPad mini took 35 hours to sell out.
Comments
you would have to have the IQ of an ant to buy a Kindle Fire HD over an iPad. Kindle Fire runs a proprietary version of Android. It is locked into Amazons services. All your activity is logged to Amazon. The UI responds sluggishly as all Android devices do as the OS architecture does not allow for fast responses to the GUI layer let alone the proprietary Amazon GUI layer on top of that. Then you have major security problems that Android has. So yes, you have to be dumber than a cock roach to buy a Kindle Fire HD.
Haha, Amazon's scared. How amusing.
Regardless of the quality of the iPad mini vs. the Kindle Fire, this is the problem with Amazon selling its own products. This is proof they are steering customers towards one product vs. another. While this is an example of them doing it with a product that they are making, how are we to know they aren't doing the same thing on products they receive a larger profit on and steering consumers to products that are not in our best interest because they will be more profitable because of it.
The iMore piece is nice.
And the real killer is the last bit: media appliance vs. computing appliance.
Even if you only want an iPad mini for content consumption, it will always be able to do more.
The Kindle Fire is just a dedicated Amazon-only media conduit while the iPad mini is a complete, standalone device.
The Ipad Mini offers 29.6 square inches of screen, or 35 percent more screen real estate than other 7in tablets at 21.9 square inches. The IPS in cell screen looks better despite its lower pixel density.
Cant wait to see all those tablets align together at the local best buy, I have the feeling the mini is going to make a very good impression. I dont think people realise how small a 7" 16x9 tablet is, its tiny.
And Amazon is the most cryptic companie out there, they would not say anything or give any metrics at the last earning call. They lost a truck load of money, the stock is trading at insane fundamentals and yet it keeps going up. Apple on the other hand answers all the questions and explain itself, and while they didnt meet the street inflated expectations, they still did $8.6/sh in profit, forecast 52 billions of sales for Q1 and answer why there Q1 margins are going to be lower. Apple is trading at 14 trailling PE, 11 foward PE and 9 forward PE ex cash, and its going down? Apple has better fundamentals than the average DowJones stocks, you know the blue chips defensive stocks that have zero growth prospect. Let me tell you the wake up call on Amazon is going to be brutal, I dont when it will come, but its coming.
Apple is trading a 14 current PE, here are some example of other stocks multiple:
Amazon: 3322 (not a typo)
Facebook : 900
AT&T : 45
Verizon : 41
Microsoft : 15
Mcdonald: 16
Honeywell : 22
Caterpilar: 14
DuPont : 14
GE : 16
The market is just plain insane at the moment. Apple is trading like people fear its going to turn into the next RIM next year. Another plus for the Apple stock is share buy backs. They could compensate the lower margins with buybacks and still come up with a outstanding EPS. Apple is suppose to buy back 10 billions worth of shares starting this october.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ascii
Putting the two next to each other like that really shows how Apple has so much more screen as less bezel.
Yeah, that's the first thing I noticed, too. Such a waste of space on the Fire there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by odditie
Regardless of the quality of the iPad mini vs. the Kindle Fire, this is the problem with Amazon selling its own products. This is proof they are steering customers towards one product vs. another. While this is an example of them doing it with a product that they are making, how are we to know they aren't doing the same thing on products they receive a larger profit on and steering consumers to products that are not in our best interest because they will be more profitable because of it.
I recall a similar concern regarding Google's search algorithms and whether their results were skewed, but I believe that this had to do with net neutrality, though I could be terribly wrong.
But in regards to Amazon, is that really a problem? I mean, brick and mortar stores set up their floors to do the same thing. For all I know, maybe there's a law that you speak in reference to, but can't they do what they want with their website? I mean, if there is a legal reason that they have to present all products equally, I haven't heard of it. Still, if they do show favoritism, I think it would discourage small businesses from trying to compete on Amazon and it would become a self-defeating practice.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ascii
Putting the two next to each other like that really shows how Apple has so much more screen as less bezel.
I agree... but I reserve judgment on screen quality until I can get my hands on one.
I want to love it, but I fully expect 163ppi to be a deal breaker.
+Camera. Kindle Fire has no rear camera. Huge difference
Gizmodo due to past 'indiscretions', probably does not have access to Apple devices before the public does. I am sure if Gizmodo had a chance to obtain a 'stolen' iPad mini a few weeks ago, they would have had time to see what a wonderful experience it provided over a discount Kindle Fire.
Gizmodo buys stolen tech. Ballsy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ascii
Putting the two next to each other like that really shows how Apple has so much more screen as less bezel.
because it* was the "natural evolution" until now. Just wait for the natural evolution of next year.
However I'm not sure those can be as light as the iPad mini. The Kindle Fire HD is almost 100g heavier.
Edit: *the more bezel of the iconic 9,7" iPad design
Quote:
Originally Posted by BuddyRevell
Haha, Amazon's scared. How amusing.
I was going to say the same thing.
Check out this article that was linked to on daring fireball about amazons draconion abuse of their power
Funny how they have deliberately covered up the extra width of the iPad screen.
No one is going to buy into this bullshit except maybe a few grandmothers buying gifts.
It's also untrue to say the iPad is standard definition because it is a higher pixel density than the iPad 2
Quote:
Originally Posted by herbapou
The IPS in cell screen looks better despite its lower pixel density.
Have you seen it in person?
It sounds like you speak from experience.
Or to put it another way, the iPad mini has a screen area that is 35% bigger than the Kindle HD but the actual number of pixels is only 30% lower.
Of course this takes no account of aspect ratios, where 4:3 is optimal for everything other than viewing movies...
Quote:
Originally Posted by brutus009
I recall a similar concern regarding Google's search algorithms and whether their results were skewed, but I believe that this had to do with net neutrality, though I could be terribly wrong.
But in regards to Amazon, is that really a problem? I mean, brick and mortar stores set up their floors to do the same thing. For all I know, maybe there's a law that you speak in reference to, but can't they do what they want with their website? I mean, if there is a legal reason that they have to present all products equally, I haven't heard of it. Still, if they do show favoritism, I think it would discourage small businesses from trying to compete on Amazon and it would become a self-defeating practice.
Right, it is very likely they do it to some degree just like anyone would, but when you are the biggest show in town and you are blatantly doing it where there is no deniability left you are in a situation of opening a can of worms that is neither good for consumers or businesses.
Amazon I believe would still define themselves as an online retailer and as such they have to maintain the trust that they are going to help the consumers do what is best for the consumer. When you start coloring outside those lines (such as using advertising on your main page to sell your product vs. a competitors) you are no longer letting the consumer vote for what is best and forcing what you want on them.
Amazon is seizing on and leveraging the ignorance of its customers, and using the mistaken meme that the iPad Mini is a 7" tablet…
We know it's closer to an 8" tablet, and its screen is 35% larger than the 7" Amazon sells!
The iPad Mini lands squarely between the two Fire HD tablet sizes… The Fires are at 7" and 8.9", and because of its screen ratio, the 8.9" Fire would be a much more honest comparison to the iPad Mini… When you put the more expensive Fire 8.9" model alongside the iPad Mini, you get screens that are a lot closer to the same size.
The base 8.9" Fire costs $299 (with ads) and $314 without. So, only $15 less for a more "comparable" model. But as soon as you get past the resolution and number of pixels (only one of a number of ways we measure "display quality"), the Fire becomes a much lesser value pretty quickly.
iPad has HD video recording, dual cameras, more content flexibility, 275,000 dedicated iPad apps…
The list lengthens pretty quickly.
Yes, the Fire HD 8.9" is a decent competitor, but when compared honestly, and with the very minor price difference, the iPad Mini wins handily...