Amazon's Kindle Fire was named a potential iPad killer when it was just a vague rumor, but based on the price and specs, Amazon's entry into the tablet world may have a different target in mind.
The Kindle Fire is impressive. At $199 and including a 7" IPS full color touchscreen, a dual-core processor and a brand new interface running on top of Google's Android operating system, it's a sure bet that the Kindle Fire will fair much better than other Android-based tablets. But while it will become the most popular Android tablet, don't expect it to make a dent in iPad sales.
The Kindle Fire lacks the iPad's app ecosystem
The same thing working against the other Android tablets is working against the Kindle Fire. The iPad's success was predicated on a healthy app store that built up for years around the iPhone. While Android boasts a lot of apps, it simply doesn't have the quality or the vast variety found in Apple's App Store.
Amazon hopes to change this with their own Amazon Appstore, which puts apps through similar quality control, but until now, there's been very little reason for Android users to even care about Amazon's Appstore.
Don't expect to get work done, play games, make music or watch on your TV
The Kindle Fire is designed as a media consumption device, which means it will be great at reading books, watching video and browsing the web. But the iPad is much more than just a device for watching Netflix and listening to Pandora. Apple's iWork suite brings word processing, spreadsheets and presentations to the iPad, and a growing number of businesses are finding ways to introduce the iPad into the workplace.
At home, the iPad makes a great gaming device. But don't expect to fill up the Kindle Fire with games like Dungeon Hunter 2. The 540 MB it takes to store one of the best RPGs on the iPad will take a huge chunk out of the rather limiting 8 GB in storage offered by the Kindle Fire. Amazon's tablet might be fine for Angry Birds, but once you get outside of casual games, it's not going to light the gaming world on fire.
And there is so much more that the iPad can do that makes it such a "magical device". Love music? Between Garage Band, which puts a studio full of instruments on your iPad, and cool accessories like iRig, which lets you plug your guitar into your iPad, Apple's tablet can be a musician's best friend. Tired of watching shows on a little screen? You can even connect your iPad to your TV and watch them on your 42" screen.
Don't leave home with it...
There are some devices that come with the mantra "don't leave home without it." But unless you are hitting the local coffee shop, don't expect the Amazon Kindle Fire to give you the same experience once you walk outside the door. Amazon's "iPad Killer" does not have 3G, so you'll find yourself somewhat limited when you don't have access to Wi-Fi.
This is even more limiting when you consider Amazon is touting the cloud capabilities for the Kindle Fire. One reason Amazon is giving for the limited storage space is the ability to store books, music and video on the cloud. But the cloud isn't available without Internet access, which means anything you have on Amazon's cloud storage won't be available for that family road trip or when you are out camping.
What you see is what you get
The Amazon Kindle Fire doesn't have a lot of extras packed into it. Along with the limited storage space and the lack of 3G, the Kindle Fire also lacks Bluetooth support and doesn't have a camera. There was also no mention of a gyroscope, an accelerometer or all of the other little extras we've come to take for granted on our iPad.
In other words, don't expect to jam out with wireless headphones. And if you are really into augmented reality, you'll have to look for something different. Love racing games? Don't expect to use it as a steering wheel.
The Amazon Kindle Fire is aimed at the Barnes & Noble Nook
The biggest reason why the Kindle Fire won't make a dent in iPad sales is that it simply isn't aimed at the iPad. It's taking aim at the Barnes & Noble Nook. Both devices share similar features, such as 7" color touchscreens and an Android-based operating system. They each lack 3G, Bluetooth and cameras. And they are both in the same price range, with the Nook Color's $249 likely to decrease once the $199 Kindle Fire is available.
Don't get me wrong: Amazon's Kindle Fire is going to sell millions of units. The real question is how many of those buyers would have ever purchased an iPad. Amazon's tablet is a great step for people who love their eReader but don't want or need the "full tablet experience". It's also great for those who find the iPad's $499 entry price to simply be too steep.
But the core iPad user? In the first few months after the iPad 2 went on sale, the $824 iPad 2 3G w/64 GB was the most popular model, beating out the entry level iPad 2 Wi-Fi w/16GB by a decent margin. This tells us two things: iPad's core demographic find storage space and 3G capabilities important and they are willing to spend money to get the device they want.
The Amazon Kindle Fire is going to be a hit. But its going to be a hit as an eReader with expanded media consumption capabilities rather than a full-fledged tablet.
In short, Amazon is aiming to sell us books, music and movies. Apple is aiming to replace the personal computer.
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Comments
The best analysis and comparison I’ve seen or heard today, refreshing after all the idiots still calling the Fire the “iPad killer”.
They do have a few things that the iPad doesnt. More free apps, more paid apps, flash, and better support for users who live in humid areas. (If you live in a very humid area, don’t take your iPhone or iPad outside, you’ll find your warranty voided within a day or two of exposure to a humid climate)
Wow, spoken like a true Apple fan boy. I don’t think you can call this 5 reasons when your first two points are both related the the fact that Apple has a bigger App store. I don’t doubt that Apple may have more apps but that’s because developers see that as where the money’s at, they could very quickly change their mind and soon develop for Android.
I would agree that the lack of 3g is a shame, however, you could buy THREE kindle fires for the price of the cheapest iPad 2 with 3g. And who’s to say they won’t release a 3g version 6 month down the line, which I doubt will reach anywhere near the cost of an iPad 2.
Lastly, remember this is version 1 of a “tablet” device (rather than just an eReader). I seem to recall the first iPad lacked some basic features such as a camera as well? It may not be the iPad killer as it is, but unless Apple does some hard work the next Kindle Fire could well blow the iPad out of the water.
Seriously? Who needs an accelerometer on a tablet?
Really, for some of us, the spendy iPad isn’t so magical. What’s magical to me is how Steve Jobs can get his fans to fork over $700 for it millions of times over. Now, THAT’S magical.
AMZN is on target. Check it out:
http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/3058-Consumers-Use-Tablets-for-Shopping-70-Million-Units-in-2011
At $199 it only has to be half as good as the iPad and this thing is going to be a smash. Think about how many people use and trust Amazon already. Forget the specs – something Apple has long told us all to do – it just has to *work* well for Amazon to succeed here.
Personally I find the iPad to be a boring overpriced web browser, but admittedly as an IT professional I am not the target market for Apple with that one. MacBook Air and an iPhone suit me fine because I actually have to work, I think tablets of any kind are for the wife and kids, and if you’re going to be giving a kid a toy, wouldn’t you want to spend less than $500? That’s my $0.02, though I’m sure it will be an unpopular opinion.
Daniel, you could have written the same article as “5 reasons the Ipad won’t displace any netbook” a few years ago: less capabilities, less applications etc.
However, you are missing the point of what is called a “game changer”. Ipad was one, and Fire will be one as well. With this kind of things, you always underestimate the long term impact.
Not accounting for its shortsightedness, the article is ok.
The price point is what makes this a game changer. I own a (jailbroken) iphone, therefore I’d choose the Fire over an iPad simply because I can tether the Fire to my iPhone. I’m assuming you can tether the Fire to any smartphone that supports tethering. And if I’m tethered, then I have access to the cloud, and therefore the large book infrastructure. 8GB is enouggh space to hold tv/movies for the day until I plug into my laptop – and that’s another thing – the Fire has USB. So I’m assuming USB devices will work. The iPad needed a dongle to connect to a TV, a USB dongle for Fire will do the same, won’t it? The only argument here seems to be a (currently) lacking app infrastructure and no accelerometer, and with the price differential, I’m not sure that matters so much to me.
Go back in your iCave apple fanboy.
How dare he point out that the iPad works better! How dare he! I am always amused that whenever a person compares Apple vs any other product in a positive light they must be a fan boy. Wanna know why Apple is so popular? Their stuff works. I have used both PC’s and Macs for development. The only reason I use PC’s is because I have to account for the lowest common denominator.