Amazon may have a bit hit on its hands with the Kindle Fire, as a new estimate from iSuppli suggests the Amazon tablet will be the most-popular tablet in the fourth quarter behind the Apple iPad 2.
While the iPad 2 is expected to sell more than 13 million units during the fourth quarter, the Kindle Fire can be a success without even coming close to that shipping number. The report suggests that Amazon may sell up to 3.9 million Kindle Fire tablets during the holiday period but it will be difficult to fact check that because Amazon never reveals the number of Kindle devices it sells.
While we generally think that the iPad 2 is a better device, we were very pleased with the Kindle Fire in our review because the Amazon tablet is quite a handy device for consuming media, using some apps and browsing the web. Just as important, the Kindle Fire costs less than half of the lowest-cost iPad, so it is the perfect device for those who want to see what all the tablet fuss is about without breaking the bank.
Samsung is expected to claim the third slot in the tablet race with its excellent lineup of Galaxy Tab devices. While the quality of the competition is getting better, the Apple iPad is still clearly in the dominant position in the tablet market.
[Via Wall Street Journal]