∞ Amazon press event

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Reuters:

Amazon.com Inc, which revolutionized reading with its Kindle e-reader, is expected to unveil a tablet computer next week that analysts say will seriously challenge Apple’s market dominating iPad.

Okay, they are having a press event, but I doubt it will “seriously challenge” the iPad.


  • http://twitter.com/GlennF GlennF

    It will potentially seriously sell a large number of units in addition to the far larger number of units Apple will sell of the iPad. The No. 3 place finisher (the “loser”) has not yet been announced.

    • http://www.loopinsight.com Jim Dalrymple

      No doubt about that. 

  • Anonymous

    Like Apple, they’ve kept tight lipped about this product until they’ve actually got something to ship.

    Amazon’s also got what other iPad competitors haven’t: an existing book store and music store, shit-tons of server storage with proven reliability, an existing brand that customers like, and millions of accounts with 1-click purchasing.

    This probably won’t lure me away from my iPad, but I’m still looking forward to it. I admire the way Amazon has played it cool so far. Decent competition is possible in the tablet market, and Amazon might just be that competitor.

    • Anonymous

      In light of the underwhelming response received by the Xoom, PlayBook and that short-lived HP thing, it would be nice to see a “serious” challenge this time.

      • http://mangochut.net/ mangochutney

        You’re preaching to the choir man. Damn right.

      • Anonymous

        The thing is, I don’t think the Amazon tablet is at all positioned like the Xoom, the PlayBook or any other iPad competitor. Amazon has something that Apple had (and has), that the others didn’t: an already thriving ecosystem and a large customer base that is already used to purchasing content from Amazon.

        We don’t really know anything directly about the device, but let’s just assume that M.G. Seigler’s review from a couple of weeks ago captures the essence. Android tablet, sure, but while these other competitors take the tack that their offerings are just like an iPad but better, I expect Amazon to attack it in a way vaguely similar to Apple: this is a Kindle, so you know it’s going to do a core set of functions extremely well: the purchasing, organizing and reading of e-books. And it’s a completely Amazon thingie, so you can expect that it will also do all Amazon purchasing extremely well, as well.

        So you’ve got here something that might not position itself as competing directly with the iPad, though as an Android-based tablet it does by its very nature. But all Amazon need do to attain self-sustaining (if not critical) mass is get its existing customers used to it. They don’t have to make the pitch that it’s a laptop replacement, or even that it’s an iPad replacement: it’s an extension of the already strong relationship that you, dear customer already enjoy with Amazon.com. It’s an expansion of that relationship.

        If their pricing is significantly less than iPad, which is what M.G. Seigler seemed to suggest (unless I’m remembering it wrong), then someone who is considering an iPad might very well consider the Kindle tablet instead, save a couple of bucks, and choose to seamlessly improve his Amazon experience in a way that is valuable to him.

        I’m pretty excited to see how they position it. As a long-time Apple user and an admittedly sensitive soul it will be a relief to see something like this: something I think will be positioned (and will actually be) an alternative that isn’t the *same*. Something that can coexist with the iPad instead of aggressively positioning itself as “It’s iPad or us: there can only be one.”

        Of course, I could be completely wrong about how the device will be positioned…and if that’s the case this all goes out the window and I’ll be very disappointed.

  • http://mangochut.net/ mangochutney

    I’m looking forward to these two headlines:

    “Will the new Kindle out-iPad the iPad as a consumption device?”

    “Will the new Kindle beat the iPad in the business?