PaidContent has a look at the various estimates and leaks of Kindle Fire pre-order numbers. One estimate places the number of Kindle Fire pre-orders at 95,000 on the first day (and orders for the other three new Kindles totaling 25,000); another claims a “verified source” leaked a figure of 254,074 Kindle Fires ordered in the first five days (and 20,249 Kindle Touch WiFi, 12,467 Kindle Touch 3G) supposedly based on screenshots from Amazon’s internal inventory system.
Needless to say, these estimates aren’t necessarily reliable, but since we’ll never know what the real numbers are, they’re all we really have.
There’s also a report that web search metrics suggest “Kindle Fire” is twice as popular as the term “iPad” in UK web searches. (The Fire isn’t even available there yet.) “iPad” still seems more popular in the USA, though.
PaidContent suggests this means the Fire “appears to be emerging as the first credible competitor to the iPad.” I would say it’s still unclear whether it’s truly a direct competitor or just something that will also sell a lot to an audience that doesn’t necessarily overlap. A lot of people buying the $200 Fire could never have afforded the $500 iPad, after all.
Could not have afforded, or were unwilling to shell out six hundred clams. Like me. I pre-ordered the Kindle Fire after a couple years of balking at the price tag on the iPad. I suspect there are many out there like me. Perhaps these are just non-overlapping market sections, and Apple never “lost” a sale from me; but a few million of these non-sales will surely eat into Apple’s core.
I’m with you, Court. I would have used an iPad if I had won one in a contest or been gifted one, but I was never going to pay that much for one myself. I simply don’t need it. I don’t need a Kindle Fire, either, but $199 for what it does makes it just right for my son’s interests, so I have preordered one for him and of course will have to test it out 😉 If it turns out that Mommy uses it too much and has a hard time sharing, I can get my own and we still won’t have spend as much as the lowest level iPad.
I happily shelled out $600 clams for an iPad v.1 the very first day they were for sale. I write books on it, write blogs, earn a living with it, create music on it, and read ebooks on it from every major ebook reader. Sometimes I even use it for browsing the web and reading email. My kids use it to play games. It was a fantastic investment that I have never regretted. But I needed a powerful tablet device to replace the MacBook I sent off to college with my oldest daughter.
If you are looking for an ereader, the iPad may be too much muscle for you. Perhaps you will be happiest with a dedicated and consequently less expensive ereader. Maybe you don’t need to have access to Kindle, Nook, Overdrive, Kobo, iBooks, Google Books, Stanza, QuickReader, and the 19th Century British Library collection—all in one device. And that’s OK. For instance, I recommended my Mum get a Nook because all she wanted was an ereader. She ended up returning it because the user experience was nicer on the iPad than on the Nook, something people don’t factor into the price difference. But I know many people more than happy with their Kindles. They don’t need anything more than an eReader.
I’m just glad we have more options these days to choose from.
Bought an iPad. Didn’t care for it. Same view for my wife. Hello eBay.
Bought a Nook on day one. Not bad. But way too heavy for day to day use.
The Fire I bought seconds after it posted. Not because of its reading slant but because for $200 I’ll give it a shot. And it weighs 1/3 less than the Nook.
I imagine even if I only marginally like it I’ll keep it. For $200 it’s an interesting play thing, probably browses the web well enough & will probably be fun for my 5 yr old to watch Netflix (or Amazon Prime) content on (he does that already w/ his Touch) while we’re hanging around the house on rainy days.
I expect I’m not alone.
@ Anthony
A lot of people will be quite happy with the Amazon Fire, no doubt.
But based on your history I would imagine you in particular shouldn’t get your hopes up 🙂
@Peter – don’t bum me out.
Truthfully, my wife didn’t like the iPad because she doesn’t like any capacitive screen (fingernailes). I didn’t find the screen to be high enough resolution.
If the Fire browses smoothly it’ll be good. Nook was kinda sluggish. But I’m told their upgrades have changed that. It was still too heavy.
The formatting for books in color on the Nook is also poor. You can’t just scan a color book & expect it to work on a screen. Amazon has the clout to make changes (DC Comics anyone?).
We’ll see. Again, for $200 it’s *nearly* impulse buy territory for a lot of people.
@ Anthony
No worries. It’s just that you’re the first unhappy Ipad owner I’ve ever met.
But the $200 impulse buy territory tells me where you’re coming from.
I waited five years (yes, 4 years longer than it has even existed) to get a $160 Nook color (overstock.com special)- not because I didn’t want one, but b/c I couldn’t afford one!
Needless to say, I am VERY happy with the book quality.
“but a few million of these non-sales will surely eat into Apple’s core.”
I don’t think you get it….this is not a zero sum game. The market for tablets and mini-tablets like the Fire is only in an embryonic stage. There is mega space for growth of ALL of the tablet forms and competition will expand the market. Different forms for different purposes. Apple had never any interest in, or intention to, dominate the tablet market. They just do that kind of thing. They build the premium product.
Millions will buy the Fire. And this will also help Apple because many of those will see the power that a tablet, albeit a mini tablet can deliver and aspire and migrate up to the iPad soon after.