Amazon To Cut $50 Off The Fire, Release A 10.1-inch Model And New $199 7-inch

[Jessica Lares]

http://techcrunch.com/2012/06/15/ama...h-says-report/

Amazon is prepping a 7-inch $199 tablet for a third quarter release, reports Max Wang for Digitimes. Reportedly, this tablet will have better specs than the Fire with a higher quality screen and more than likely a more competent computing platform. The original Fire will then get cut to $150. Then, later in the year or maybe in early 2013, Amazon will release a 10.1-inch model. This comes by way of an “upstream supply chain” source. Digitimes is as sketchy as trade publications get, but logic dictates that there is some truth here.

Amazon will release a new Fire model this year. That’s a given as Amazon will likely try to replicate last year’s stellar holiday season lead by the first Fire. A larger model is likely in the cards, too, although I wouldn’t say it’s a lock for this year.

[jswinden]

Wow, a stupid blogger wrote it so it must be true!

Yellow journalism girl, yellow journalism. Don't report blogger wishes or rumors as though they are fact.

[foreverjuly]

If you follow to the Digitimes article, it's from sources upstream in the supply chain. I wouldn't have much faith in the prices they are projecting, but they probably know what they are building.

It's really time for Amazon to make a move. Apple sure isn't wasting any time pushing forward.

[RainingLemur]

If true, that price cut will result in a big spike in Fire sales. And, if the 10-inch model is true, too (and at that price), that'll be interesting to see how well it fares.

I'd like to see a bigger Fire. Hopefully with an SD slot.

[afv011]

Amazon (and everybody else) better hurry up, with the Nexus Tablet and other tablets based on the Kai platform being around the corner, the current KF and similar tablets will be vastly outdated.

Also, in 2013 the 10" better be HD to stand a chance.

[hn333]

I really doubt this. Digitimes is always wrong.

[geoffwood]

Originally Posted by hn333

I really doubt this. Digitimes is always wrong.

For Amazon's sake I hope they are right, otherwise the Fire will be dead in the water.

[hn333]

Originally Posted by geoffwood

For Amazon's sake I hope they are right, otherwise the Fire will be dead in the water.

I can see them cutting 30 dollars off, but not $50.

[geoffwood]

Amazon has already sold some units at a $139 price point, so a regular price of $149 doesn't seem like a big leap. Getting it under $150 is a psychological price break, I don't think dropping it to $169 would give much of a sales boost.

By some metrics Amazon is loosing out in the market share land grab to Barnes & Noble and they already have a tablet at the $169 price point. I think Amazon has to undercut them to make a difference.

[HarryT]

Don't you think that stating that THIS IS DEFINITELY GOING TO HAPPEN in the thread title, based on nothing more than a suggestion in a blog, is perhaps a little unjustifiable?

[Jessica Lares]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Don't you think that stating that THIS IS DEFINITELY GOING TO HAPPEN in the thread title, based on nothing more than a suggestion in a blog, is perhaps a little unjustifiable?

And if people use common sense, they will know that it's speculation. I just posted what was there word for word. Never trust anything unless it comes from Amazon themselves.

[obsessed2]

Originally Posted by geoffwood

Amazon has already sold some units at a $139 price point, so a regular price of $149 doesn't seem like a big leap. Getting it under $150 is a psychological price break, I don't think dropping it to $169 would give much of a sales boost.

By some metrics Amazon is loosing out in the market share land grab to Barnes & Noble and they already have a tablet at the $169 price point. I think Amazon has to undercut them to make a difference.

Good point. Plus the Nook Color has been going for around $149 recently. Psychological pricing along with many consumers not knowing the Nook Color isn't on par with the Fire or the Nook Tablet gives it a sales edge.

[hn333]

Originally Posted by geoffwood

Amazon has already sold some units at a $139 price point, so a regular price of $149 doesn't seem like a big leap. Getting it under $150 is a psychological price break, I don't think dropping it to $169 would give much of a sales boost.

By some metrics Amazon is loosing out in the market share land grab to Barnes & Noble and they already have a tablet at the $169 price point. I think Amazon has to undercut them to make a difference.

People are waiting for the Kindle Fire 2. Only a fool would buy the Kindle fire now.

[JSWolf]

Digitimes... the ones that wrote that the Kindle (eink) was going color. Never trust anything Digitimes has to say. They are usually wrong.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by hn333

People are waiting for the Kindle Fire 2. Only a fool would buy the Kindle fire now.

If it does what you want, and the price is right, there's nothing "foolish" about buying it. Not everybody always wants the "latest and greatest". Don't you think it's just a little rude to classify all those who are buying Kindle Fire's as "fools"?