A market research from ChangewaveReserch concludes that the Kindle Fire is the most significant development since the original iPad. According to them, the Kindle Fire would be the second most-wanted tablet for this holiday – at least, in terms of “intention”. And that’s why we should take this with a grain of salt: intention may be different from actual purchase.Yet, given the low price of the Kindle, there is little doubt that it will allow Amazon to reach to a new group of consumers: those who don’t care enough about a tablet to spend $499. In the end, I wonder if the comparison is even relevant. It may be, in the sense that someone who has a Kindle Fire would probably not buy an iPad. However, that person may not have bought an iPad under any circumstances either.
It is more likely that the iPad and other high-end tablets will pursue their course, while the Kindle creates a new market in the low-end. In my view, the Kindle Fire is the “Netbook” of tablets. It’s good enough for certain tasks, but it won’t displace -or kill- the high-end products (despite all the media-drama). Check my Kindle Fire review if you want more details.
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