In According to eDataSource, a digital marketing firm that tracks consumer purchases, Amazon has taken a whopping 95,000 pre-orders for its new Kindle Fire tablet in its first day on sale. This number is still less than one-third of the 300,000 first-generation iPads sold in a day, but analysts are confident that the device will have stronger sales once it expands into other markets.
eDataSource has arrived at its estimates by tracking email traffic, social media messages, and other electronic communications. The market watcher estimates that sales of the three other new Kindles that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos introduced this week have totalled about 25,000.
The Kindle Fire is expected to do particularly well because of its lower price. The cheapest iPad that Apple has placed in the market costs $499. Forrester Research expects 24 million tablets will be sold in 2011, topping the estimated 20 million PCs that are expected to be sold, but still short of the 29 million laptops that are expected to sell.
The IHS iSuppli estimates show that Amazon might be losing $10 on every Kindle Fire that it sells. But there are other estimates that seem to indicate that the device might be costing much less to build. For instance, according to UBM Tech Insights, Amazon is going to do just fine selling the tablet at $199, even if a user never makes a single purchase. UBM estimates the cost of parts to be $150 only.
Amazon is also going to benefit as the Kindle Fire's ability to show e-books, surf the Web, stream movies and TV shows and support apps is expected to drive sales of Amazon's digital content. The device boasts some impressive specs; its LCD screen displays 16 million colors in high-resolution, at 169 pixels per inch.
In-plane switching technology provides wide viewing angles. A dual-core processor, reportedly from Texas Instruments, provides quick responsiveness. The device weighs 14.6 ounces, making it possible for most people to hold in one hand. Currently Kindle Fire is only available with WiFi connectivity. But 3G and 4G models are expected to be launched soon.
Add new comment