Amazon won't unveil larger Kindle Fire next week, report says
Countering recent rumors, a report on Friday claims Amazon won't be taking the wraps off a new larger-screened Kindle Fire at its upcoming media event next week, a device some speculated the company would announce as a challenge to Apple's iPad.
According to a person who has allegedly seen the products, only two new 7-inch Kindle Fire models will be introduced next week, contradicting previous reports that claimed Amazon would likely debut a 10-inch tablet, reports CNET.
While a larger Kindle Fire may still be in the works, the source says Amazon is sticking with the 7-inch form factor and will announce two new models next week, including a slightly reworked version of the existing tablet. The decision is thought to be a defensive move in response to a growing small form factor tablet market, with new devices like Google's Nexus 7 offering stiff competition to Amazon's device. While only speculation, the specter of Apple's own offering may have also been a deciding factor in holding off on a larger Kindle Fire.
The source claims an upgraded Kindle Fire will be introduced next week with a new UI and lower price point. Alongside the slightly revamped original, a new "higher-end" model will be unveiled, and is said to sport more storage, a faster processor, a camera, physical volume controls and an HDMI port.
When Amazon first launched its tablet in September 2011, the reasonably-priced device enjoyed strong initial sales, but demand ultimately collapsed on reportedly low customer satisfaction.
Amazon issued a press release on Thursday saying the current Kindle Fire commands 22 percent of the U.S. tablet market, however the company didn't back up the claims with specific sales numbers or reveal how it calculated marketshare. In the same announcement, Amazon noted the tablet was out of stock, signaling the debut of an imminent new product launch.
According to a person who has allegedly seen the products, only two new 7-inch Kindle Fire models will be introduced next week, contradicting previous reports that claimed Amazon would likely debut a 10-inch tablet, reports CNET.
While a larger Kindle Fire may still be in the works, the source says Amazon is sticking with the 7-inch form factor and will announce two new models next week, including a slightly reworked version of the existing tablet. The decision is thought to be a defensive move in response to a growing small form factor tablet market, with new devices like Google's Nexus 7 offering stiff competition to Amazon's device. While only speculation, the specter of Apple's own offering may have also been a deciding factor in holding off on a larger Kindle Fire.
The source claims an upgraded Kindle Fire will be introduced next week with a new UI and lower price point. Alongside the slightly revamped original, a new "higher-end" model will be unveiled, and is said to sport more storage, a faster processor, a camera, physical volume controls and an HDMI port.
When Amazon first launched its tablet in September 2011, the reasonably-priced device enjoyed strong initial sales, but demand ultimately collapsed on reportedly low customer satisfaction.
Amazon issued a press release on Thursday saying the current Kindle Fire commands 22 percent of the U.S. tablet market, however the company didn't back up the claims with specific sales numbers or reveal how it calculated marketshare. In the same announcement, Amazon noted the tablet was out of stock, signaling the debut of an imminent new product launch.
Comments
K.
How about never......
Originally Posted by anantksundaram
Not 'next week?'
How about never......
So the Kindle isn't getting a larger version… Does that mean the iPad isn't getting a smaller version?
Or maybe they'll just have the press push it back to January April June July January March June…
Have you seen the pics of the new eInk Kindle? I just might get one.
I think it will get a larger version if the project continues long enough. It's a sweet spot for usability in much the same way 13"-15" notebook is a sweet spot compared to an 11" or 17" notebook.
The difference between 7" and 10" for Amazon is creating a product that is competitive to the iPad without being as costly. With the iPad already being priced so low it's hard to see how they could compete. I'm guessing they have plenty of 10" prototypes but need to lower the productions cost without lowering the quality for a given price point and getting their forked version of Android to be more robust than what we find on the current Kindle Fire.
i'm thinking the 22% market share is from what's sold on Amazon.
I just checked Amazon. The two Touch models are also out of stock. It looks promising to those of us who like small, lightweight tablets for reading. (A market Apple is apparently eyeing hungrily.)
"but demand ultimately collapsed on reportedly low customer satisfaction."
Author seems awfully confident this is the reason especially when he later states "however the company didn't back up the claims with specific sales numbers"
Alternate reasons could be:
Amazon customers don't have a need for this type of tablet
This tablet didn't have enough memory
People knew Fire 2 would be better
People really want a 10" Android based tablet
People already had an iPad and ran out of money
And probably not Windows RT either - judging by the video below.
http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/31/3281960/windows-rt-office-2013-rt-specs-details-hands-on
Quote:
Originally Posted by Quadra 610
K.
AppleInsider is covering ALL their bases.
1. Kindle Fire will be announced next week
2. Kindle Fire won't be announced next week
Either way, they can claim a successful prediction.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BanExtremists
"but demand ultimately collapsed on reportedly low customer satisfaction."
Author seems awfully confident this is the reason especially when he later states "however the company didn't back up the claims with specific sales numbers"
Alternate reasons could be:
Amazon customers don't have a need for this type of tablet
This tablet didn't have enough memory
People knew Fire 2 would be better
People really want a 10" Android based tablet
People already had an iPad and ran out of money
Yes, but you're not offering any more proof of your theories than the author was for his. Simply saying it could be one of several alternate reasons (some of which sound rather far-fetched) is not proof the author is wrong. All you're telling us is: you don't know either.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rogifan
I don't think Apple has anything to worry about with Kindle.
And probably not Windows RT either - judging by the video below.
http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/31/3281960/windows-rt-office-2013-rt-specs-details-hands-on
Wow, that was horrible. To switch between portrait and landscape mode, you have to go to the Windows desktop (why would RT tablets have a legacy desktop when it's not x86 compatible to begin with?) fiddle with the Windows screen options and tell it to switch into portrait mode and then tell it you want to keep it in portrait mode? I can't wait for all those lusting-after-Surface fans to buy one of these Windows RT "tablets" and realize they've purchased the world's most underpowered non-x86 ultrabook. Steve Jobs was right: Microsoft has no taste. Windows RT was their chance to make a clean break from the past, and go full-Metro, but they didn't.
And for all you Mac fans who keep pining for a "someday Mac OS tablet", the clunky, compromised Windows 8 / RT operating systems and these upcoming "tablets" are the perfect illustration why it would not be a great idea.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dasanman69
Have you seen the pics of the new eInk Kindle? I just might get one.
based on a friggin' picture??
The Kindle Bonfire?
Please explain why they would even bother. All of the Pads...even iPad 1.... can do so very much more. A quick check on eBay here in Germany, and used they still go for upwards of 300,- EUR for a 16gb/3g.
Race to the bottom: Let. Them. WIN!
So how does this looks like??
I really don't think people get Amazon. They started out by selling books, movies, and music. Apple is going after all three, so now Amazon has digital versions of all three available. All three options, work on iOS, Android, and Windows Phone. Additionally they support movie playback on many TVs, Roku and PS3. The Kindle is nothing more than an extra market channel to sell those digital products. That is why they:
1) Don't talk about numbers.
2) Make and sell the Kindle Fire so cheap.
Personally, I would NEVER buy the Kindle Fire, but I think the only place Amazon wants to compete with Apple is in the sell of digital content. I think they could care less if the Kindle Fire beats the iPad (edit: well they probably care some, but the point is it is not the main goal), as long as they sell plenty of music, movies, and ebooks.
They just want to make sure Apple does not take over Movies and Books the way they did music. Apple all but took over music (and deserved to) because they saw the potential before everyone, and no one (accept for some Apple fans) wants a repeat of that mistake.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rogifan
I don't think Apple has anything to worry about with Kindle.
And probably not Windows RT either - judging by the video below.
http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/31/3281960/windows-rt-office-2013-rt-specs-details-hands-on
That video focuses on everything that takes you to the classic desktop which is not what Windows 8 about, which is fair but sets a very negative tone for the video. What I want to see is how apps that use the UI formerly known as Metro work and perform.
Though I am dumbfounded by two things:
1) No accelerometer support in classic desktop
2) No Metro for Office 2013.
Come on Microsoft....seriously? If Windows is going to have Metro, at the very least your other flagship product, Office, should support it as well. Idiotic.
EDIT: Maybe they think the online version of Office is sufficient, to which I again say: IDIOTIC. Showcase Metro to the world through your applications and set the standard. But this is classic Microsoft.
That's why I said might. Going to wait and see the specifics before I make a decision. Sheesh
Advantages of the Kindle e-ink readers over iPads.
Lightweight - When you're reading, you're holding this thing still for a long period of time, frequently one handed. The iPad is far heavier, and it makes a difference.
Size - The Kindles are all about the size of a paperback book. There's a reason the publishing industry made that size so common. It's a convenient size for carrying and reading.
Resolution - It's actually much easier for humans to read if individual pixels cannot be seen. That's why reading a book is far less tiring than reading a computer screen. Until Apple came out with the Retina Display, eInk was the only format with that level of resolution. (Note: I was amazed by the original LaserWriter's 300 DPI resolution, until I saw how much of a difference 2,000+ DPI resolution of a LinoType made in printing. Yes, it is easily noticeable in a side-by-side comparison.)
Reading anywhere - The eInk display can be read anywhere. It's actually easier to read in bright sunlight than dimmer light, just like a book. And with an external light source, like a book light, it can be read in the dark, too. The iPad's display is really good in most lighting conditions, but the brighter the external light gets, the more it washes out, and the more tiring it becomes to read. The Nook eInk reader already has built in lighting, and I fully expect Amazon to release a similar upgrade which will literally make it possible to read a Kindle anywhere, unlike the iPad.
Battery life - The eInk Kindles have incredible battery life. I only need to plug mine in once every other week or so. The iPad would need to be plugged in daily. IMHO, this isn't a big deal, but it's still a nice bonus.
Note, I'm not denying that the iPad has far more capabilities than the Kindle, because it does. I'm just pointing out that if your primary purpose for a tablet is reading (as it is for me), then the Kindle's advantages make it my preferred device.
Now, if Apple comes out with a smaller iPad as expected, then that may throw the advantage to Apple. Will the resolution be high enough? I don't know. My iPhone's resolution is plenty sharp, but the iPad Mini's resolution is expected to be lower. Will it be light and convenient enough? Remains to be seen. My ideal device has the color screen and capabilities of the iPad with the size, weight, and sharpness (and in an ideal, but unlikely world, all light capabilities) of the Kindle, especially with the Kindle's battery life.