As soon as Apple entered the small tablet market with its recently announced iPad mini, plenty of people understandably suggested that the game was up for the competition. Can the likes of Google, Amazon and the rest compete when the 800lb gorilla that is Apple comes knocking? Well, turns out Amazon for one, can.
According to Amazon spokesperson Drew Herdener, the recently released Kindle Fire HD managed to clock up its best day for sales yet on the very day you would expect it to struggle – the day after the iPad mini was announced. In fact, sales were up 3 x week over week, according to the quote offered up by Herdener.
The news will surprise many, with the Kindle Fire HD arguably not quite in the same league as the iPad mini and expected to eclipse those that are going up against it in an already crowded marketplace. With that in mind though, it is well worth noting the difference in price. The Kindle Fire HD is priced at just $199. The iPad mini, as yet to begin shipping but roundly regarded to have sold well when pre-orders began a couple of days ago, begins at $329. That’s a fairly hefty price jump, especially for those that don’t have a burning desire to live in the iOS ecosystem. Is this price difference part of the reason for the Kindle Fire HD’s strong showing?
The Kindle Fire HD more than holds its own when it comes to hardware specs too, showing that you don’t have to accept mediocre technology even when shopping on a budget. Apple will undoubtedly sell millions of iPad minis, and we’re sure its sales figures will be greater than Amazon’s tablets can muster in the long run. There’s something to be said for the package Apple puts together, and the iPad mini is one gorgeous piece of kit.
We’ll have to see how things pan out in the long term, and there are sure to be plenty more 7 and 8-inch tablets to come out of Google’s hardware partners. Apple will hope that the iPad mini still holds its own in the face of ever increasing competition.
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