Amazon denies rumor of forthcoming $99 Kindle Fire HD

Posted:
in iPad edited January 2014
A new report claims Amazon may be looking to attack the very low end of the tablet market with a $99 version of its Kindle Fire tablet, though a spokesperson for the online retailer has characterized the rumor as inaccurate.

kindlefire


By the end of this year, TechCrunch reported Wednesday, Amazon will ship another 7-inch Kindle Fire tablet, likely with a 1280x800 display to match the current Kindle Fire HD, but priced to beat out much of the low-end Android tablet market. Citing sources close to the company, TechCrunch says the low-cost Kindle Fire HD will feature a processor from Texas Instruments, as does the current 7-inch Kindle Fire HD.

The report also said that the current 7-inch Kindle Fire is Amazon's best selling tablet, not the 8.9-inch model Amazon has been comparing to Apple's industry-leading iPad. Amazon, which doesn't release sales figures for its tablets, recently dropped the prices on its 8.9-inch devices, and the line now starts at $269.

Following the publication of TechCrunch's report, an Amazon spokesperson told Business Insider that the report was inaccurate.

"It's not happening," BI quotes the Amazon rep as saying, "we are already at the lowest price points possible for that hardware."

TechCrunch has stood by its initial report, noting that the Amazon rep said the company was at the lowest prices possible for "that hardware," possibly leaving the company open to releasing different hardware at a $99 price point.

Amazon's Kindle Fire devices run a forked version of Google's Android operating system, with assorted services pointing back to Amazon instead of to Google. The company's profit margins on the devices are thought to be slim-to-nonexistent, with Amazon's aim being to make money on services attached to the tablets, such as video streaming and e-book sales. The most Amazon executives will say regarding Kindle Fire sales is that the tablets supposedly account for 22 percent of the U.S. tablet market.

Recent web traffic figures have Amazon's Kindle Fire devices accounting for roughly eight percent of traffic among tablets, with Apple's iPad still the overwhelming leader at 81 percent share. The discrepancy between Amazon's claims and web traffic figures may be explained, though, by differing usage patterns among Kindle Fire tablet owners.
«1

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 33
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member


    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post

    "It's not happening," BI quotes the Amazon rep as saying, "we are already at the lowest price points possible for that hardware."


     


    They're already losing money on every one they sell; why not lose more money? image

  • Reply 2 of 33
    512ke512ke Posts: 782member
    Why charge $99? Why not offer each customer a $99 credit at Amazon.com if s(he) agrees to take a Kindle Fire off their hands? Amazon is sure to gain market share, and Wall Street will love this. Amazon can rebrand it the Kindle Ponzi.
  • Reply 3 of 33
    zeromeuszeromeus Posts: 182member
    That's right! The rumor is very inaccurate! The new Kindle Fire HD isn't going to be $99! That's inaccurate, indeed! It'll be $99.99! So yeah! Get your numbers right! LOL!
  • Reply 4 of 33
    And they say we're not making enough progress in the race to the bottom
  • Reply 5 of 33
    maccherrymaccherry Posts: 924member
    A race to bottom of the crap heap.
    This is what happens when you pile up onto a tech bandwagon. You use the same over the shelf tech as the other guy, you throw in Android and then you step by step drop your price until you really can't make a dime. In the end Amazon will end up leaving the tablet industry all together. Amazon will never be able to penetrate the tablet market like Apple.
  • Reply 6 of 33
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member


    Android tablets are a damn joke.


     


    What's next, disposable Android tablets, like how people can buy disposable cameras?


     


    At these rock bottom prices, they might as well be. I think that Android sellers should begin accepting food stamps. There is a vast, untapped market of many millions of potential ignorant customers.

  • Reply 7 of 33

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by maccherry View Post



    A race to bottom of the crap heap.

    This is what happens when you pile up onto a tech bandwagon. You use the same over the shelf tech as the other guy, you throw in Android and then you step by step drop your price until you really can't make a dime. In the end Amazon will end up leaving the tablet industry all together. Amazon will never be able to penetrate the tablet market like Apple.


    I agree...but on the other hand there are many successful US companies selling "crap!"


     


    MS largest SW company-Crap OS.


    Coke largest beverage company-Crap (unhealthy) drinks.


    McDonald's largest restaurant company-Crap (unhealthy) food.


    Walmart: Largest US employer and retail chain. Just crap.


    GM: Largest Auto maker-Crap cars.


    Goldman Sach's-Crap


    HP largest PC company-Crap PC's


    Google-Just crap


    Dell-Crap


    Samsung-Crap


    Pepsi-Crap


    General Mills-Crap


    Kraft-Crap


    InBev largest beer company (I think)- Mostly crap beer.


    Cox cable-Crap


    Verizon, ATT and Sprint-Crap!


    RIM-Crap


     


    Best

  • Reply 8 of 33
    eventually, the Kindle will go to zero cost... like the chrome book...

    And remember.... if you're not paying, you're not the customer... you're the product.

  • Reply 9 of 33
    guaihuguaihu Posts: 36member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by christopher126 View Post


    I agree...but on the other hand there are many successful US companies selling "crap!"


     


    MS largest SW company-Crap OS.


    Coke largest beverage company-Crap (unhealthy) drinks.


    McDonald's largest restaurant company-Crap (unhealthy) food.


    Walmart: Largest US employer and retail chain. Just crap.


    GM: Largest Auto maker-Crap cars.


    Goldman Sach's-Crap


    HP largest PC company-Crap PC's


    Google-Just crap


    Dell-Crap


    Samsung-Crap


    Pepsi-Crap


    General Mills-Crap


    Kraft-Crap


    InBev largest beer company (I think)- Mostly crap beer.


    Cox cable-Crap


    Verizon, ATT and Sprint-Crap!


    RIM-Crap


     


    Best



     


    Blackberry (formerly RIM) is a Canadian company....


     


    And they did not make crap. They just very famously failed to change in response to the iPhone revolution, so to speak.

  • Reply 10 of 33
    mazda 3smazda 3s Posts: 1,613member


    I don't see what the big deal is myself. I won't buy one for personal use, but I'm sure that there are plenty of people that would be in the market for a $99 tablet. My mom surfs the internet and reads books, I would have no qualms about dropping $99 on a Kindle Fire for her birthday. A $329 iPad mini is much harder to justify for her needs.


     


    Also, I'd quicker buy my kid a $99 tablet than a much more expensive iPad... especially they way kids drop things.


     


    Bottom line, why do people get all bent out of shape and bash something that they likely aren't going to purchase in the first place? I mean, I love my 15" rMBP, but I don't go doggin' on people that go out and buy cheaper PCs.


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post


    I think that Android sellers should begin accepting food stamps. There is a vast, untapped market of many millions of potential ignorant customers.



     


    I'm sorry, but comments like this are just sick, pathetic, and childish.

  • Reply 11 of 33
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member


    Originally Posted by guaihu View Post

    And they did not make crap. They just very famously failed to change in response to the iPhone revolution, so to speak.


     


    Good today, crap tomorrow. It's a matter of perspective. Asbestos blankets and DDT aerosols were all the rage 50 years ago. 






    Originally Posted by Mazda 3s View Post

    I'm sorry, but comments like this are just sick, pathetic, and childish.



     


    Agreed. Particularly when many people on welfare have iPhones. 

  • Reply 12 of 33


    Deleted....

  • Reply 13 of 33

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by guaihu View Post


     


    Blackberry (formerly RIM) is a Canadian company....


     


    And they did not make crap. They just very famously failed to change in response to the iPhone revolution, so to speak.



    I was thinking more of the crap products they rushed to market and tried to "peddle" to unsuspecting customers after the iPhone was introduced. I can't remember the model names but supposedly they had "touch, just like the iPhone!" :)


  • Reply 14 of 33
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    Agreed. Particularly when many people on welfare have iPhones. 



     


    And they shouldn't be allowed to. You and I should not be subsidizing other people's iPhone purchases.

  • Reply 15 of 33
    ipenipen Posts: 410member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post


    Android tablets are a damn joke.


     


    What's next, disposable Android tablets, like how people can buy disposable cameras?


     


    At these rock bottom prices, they might as well be. I think that Android sellers should begin accepting food stamps. There is a vast, untapped market of many millions of potential ignorant customers.



     


    One good thing about disposable tablets is you don't have to worry about drop and break.  You can always get another more updated one at $99.


    BTW, be careful, the gov't will be after you if you're selling non-food items for food stamps...

  • Reply 16 of 33
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member



    One good thing about disposable tablets is you don't have to worry about drop and break.  You can always get another more updated one at $99.



     


    It's a… "good" thing to promote a society whereby nothing has value and no personal responsibility is required? I rather think the Apple model is better. Take care of your possessions and they'll take care of you. My only Apple product that has ever broken is my first Mighty Mouse, and that's more a testament to the past filthiness of my hands than it is to Apple's construction (though it certainly could have been easier to clean).

  • Reply 17 of 33
    Phase1: Sell Kindle Fire at a loss.
    Phase 2: ____________________
    Phase 3: Profit!
  • Reply 18 of 33
    ipenipen Posts: 410member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by christopher126 View Post


    I agree...but on the other hand there are many successful US companies selling "crap!"


     


    MS largest SW company-Crap OS.


    Coke largest beverage company-Crap (unhealthy) drinks.


    McDonald's largest restaurant company-Crap (unhealthy) food.


    Walmart: Largest US employer and retail chain. Just crap.


    GM: Largest Auto maker-Crap cars.


    Goldman Sach's-Crap


    HP largest PC company-Crap PC's


    Google-Just crap


    Dell-Crap


    Samsung-Crap


    Pepsi-Crap


    General Mills-Crap


    Kraft-Crap


    InBev largest beer company (I think)- Mostly crap beer.


    Cox cable-Crap


    Verizon, ATT and Sprint-Crap!


    RIM-Crap


     


    Best



     


    In you mind sounds like people love crap.  Don't forget the US gov't - Crap, but everyone is buying into it.

  • Reply 19 of 33
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ipen View Post


     


    One good thing about disposable tablets is you don't have to worry about drop and break.  You can always get another more updated one at $99.


    BTW, be careful, the gov't will be after you if you're selling non-food items for food stamps...



    I think that it's debatable if it's a good thing or not. I think that most people buying a junky $99 tablet probably don't have another $99 to buy another, if it were to break. As for selling non-food items, plenty of people already use their EBT in places like strip joints and bars.

  • Reply 20 of 33
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Mazda 3s View Post

    I'm sorry, but comments like this are just sick, pathetic, and childish.


     


    Is there a law against mocking Android users?

Sign In or Register to comment.