Apple's most serious threat is Amazon, not Android
- Thread starter sukhraj
- Start date
SweetPoison
iPF Noob
I don't think it is either. Or anyone, actually.
But, what do I know!
But, what do I know!
The better question is what is the threat to android: apple iOS or something else.
My view is that there is, with all due respect to steve jobs and co, nobody who can predict the ultimate uses of these little tablet devices. I further believe that households are going to soon pocess lots of these devices for these unpredictable uses. Given this, I believe the dominance of a more open systems and standards is inevitable. I also cannot help but wonder if a single OS across phones, tablets, and computers (aka windows 8) offers the ultimate integration of systems throughout the house and world. But my money is on Android if forced to make a prediction.
Of course, things can change with regards to the flexibility of systems in equally unpredictable ways.
My view is that there is, with all due respect to steve jobs and co, nobody who can predict the ultimate uses of these little tablet devices. I further believe that households are going to soon pocess lots of these devices for these unpredictable uses. Given this, I believe the dominance of a more open systems and standards is inevitable. I also cannot help but wonder if a single OS across phones, tablets, and computers (aka windows 8) offers the ultimate integration of systems throughout the house and world. But my money is on Android if forced to make a prediction.
Of course, things can change with regards to the flexibility of systems in equally unpredictable ways.
Vaden15
iPF Noob
Kindle Fire was a hype that started out good but turned out crashing and burning... it had disappointing reviews and some even ended up returning the device.
Check these reviews:
http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/helloworld/27413/
http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2011/12/ebooks/kindle-fires-user-experience-disappoints-notably-with-reading/
and if you want the breakdown on specs and software check this review out.
http://www.techdc.com/kindle-fire-review
Check these reviews:
http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/helloworld/27413/
http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2011/12/ebooks/kindle-fires-user-experience-disappoints-notably-with-reading/
and if you want the breakdown on specs and software check this review out.
http://www.techdc.com/kindle-fire-review
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My Kindle Fire is working fine, for a $200 device, lol. I wouldn't buy it over an iPad, but different customers, different strokes.
Unless we're talking about stocks, I don't care which companies "win." (And I can always sell my shares if it looks negative, lol.)
When shopping for devices, I buy from whichever company does well by me. So I own cars from different companies for different reasons, ditto for electronics and so on.
I want loads of competition among companies, and I'd like to see more and more devices to choose from.
Unless we're talking about stocks, I don't care which companies "win." (And I can always sell my shares if it looks negative, lol.)
When shopping for devices, I buy from whichever company does well by me. So I own cars from different companies for different reasons, ditto for electronics and so on.
I want loads of competition among companies, and I'd like to see more and more devices to choose from.
jsh1120
iPF Noob
You should try catching up. In the first place, the KF is hardly "crashing and burning." Amazon continues to sell millions of these devices and the overwhelming majority of user reviews (about 12,000 at last count) rate the KF at 4+ stars. The reviews you cited are filled with errors, especially when the updated KF software is taken into account. (For example, it is NOT true that apps cannot be removed from the Carousel. It is NOT true that 1 Click purchases on Amazon cannot be turned off. It is NOT true that the KF has light bleeding problems, etc. etc.)
Having had a KF for about a month, I have several theories about some of the initial negative reviews in the blogosphere.
() iPad fans determined not to like the KF
() First generation software that was quickly updated and improved after launch. (Remember that the iPad did not initially even support any form of multitasking)
() Lousy wifi connections.
What I've found after a month or so of ownership of the KF in our household...
() Lags, stuttering, crashes, and other such behavior is non-existent.
() Browser speed comparable to the iPad.
() Streaming video comparable to or better than the iPad even with a smaller screen since the KF has a 16x9 aspect ratio and support for Flash videos.
() Parental control is actually better than the iPad. Specific launcher for kids can be created that blocks access to other apps.
() More portable and easier to handle than the iPad.
My initial impression of the KF before I purchased it was that it provides about 80% of an iPad's functionality at about 40% of the price. After a month of ownership, I'd stick with that. It's not a content creation device unless your requirements for content creation are satisfied by a large smartphone. I certainly wouldn't choose it over an iPad but frankly, my wife would. It does everything she needs it to do from e-reading, video streaming, and email management in a form factor that both fits in her purse and doesn't require her glasses to read. Likewise, my daughter loves the KF. She has access to about fifty games and other content on a device she can tote around easily. And with these advantages it means I don't have to compete with other family members when I use the iPad.
The funny thing is, my husband has his own iPad and barely uses it. (I bought it for him.) He uses Kindle Fire more, if only to play Angry Birds, lol.
jsh1120
iPF Noob
As far as whether either Amazon or Android is a greater "threat" to the iPad, the question itself is problematic. At least for the foreseeable future no other single "tablet" is going to outsell the iPad. But this isn't a zero sum game where one device wins and all others "lose." Nevertheless, both Android tablets comparable in functionality to the iPad and devices similar to the KF will expand the overall market and cut Apple's market share even while Apple continues to sell more iPads than any competitor's products.
Frankly, I doubt that Amazon will be successful if they try to go toe to toe with the iPad and other Android tablets. Amazon is not primarily a computer company. Their expertise lies elsewhere and their business objectives are not focused solely on selling a comprehensive tablet. What they can and are doing is producing a highly successful media consumption device that meets the requirements of millions of consumers who don't need/want some of the features of the iPad and other fully featured tablets.
As far as Android tablets are concerned, manufacturers like Lenovo will find lucrative niche markets among business users who want features like fully integrated physical keyboards and usb support. ICS will continue to close the gap with iOS and even among manufacturers who add proprietary skins on the Android OS, those tablets will be more customizable and open than the iPad. That will make a difference to a minority of users, but even a minority of millions of users can be a lucrative market.
If rumors of a low priced Google tablet come true, both Amazon and Apple will feel the heat. Amazon has established a strong brand presence and I suspect will do well. Likewise for the iPad. But just as Android smartphones provide an alternative to the iPhone, a Google tablet will be a strong competitor among the geek crowd.
Frankly, I doubt that Amazon will be successful if they try to go toe to toe with the iPad and other Android tablets. Amazon is not primarily a computer company. Their expertise lies elsewhere and their business objectives are not focused solely on selling a comprehensive tablet. What they can and are doing is producing a highly successful media consumption device that meets the requirements of millions of consumers who don't need/want some of the features of the iPad and other fully featured tablets.
As far as Android tablets are concerned, manufacturers like Lenovo will find lucrative niche markets among business users who want features like fully integrated physical keyboards and usb support. ICS will continue to close the gap with iOS and even among manufacturers who add proprietary skins on the Android OS, those tablets will be more customizable and open than the iPad. That will make a difference to a minority of users, but even a minority of millions of users can be a lucrative market.
If rumors of a low priced Google tablet come true, both Amazon and Apple will feel the heat. Amazon has established a strong brand presence and I suspect will do well. Likewise for the iPad. But just as Android smartphones provide an alternative to the iPhone, a Google tablet will be a strong competitor among the geek crowd.
madhatter61
iPF Noob
Do I detect a notion that it is winner take all, or isn't there room for all the players in this wide open crapshoot marketplace. I think the title of this thread is media hype and BS. Amazon is doing what any smart business wants to do. Since they are an on-line business, they want to make it EZ for customers to access their site, conveniently order stuff and while they are at it, provide a couple of extra goodies, i.e. surfure the web and watch a movie as well as read a book ... hopefully from their site.
What Apple is all about, IMHO is to develop a platform that provides a wide scope of experiences to the users. Education is huge and Apple has been involved for years ... their early success was in desk top publishing for the masses... not just the sophisticated smart folks that are expert at Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.
Now with the introduction of a really nice (but, still in its begining capabilities) is iBook2, iBook Author, etc. But Author needs some extra capability to really grab a broad section of folks ... namely a Math render engine, complete and EZ editing, Citation and bibliography extension, etc. Then, the extra goodies over a typical page layout program really speeds up the production of book development.
Siri needs to be involve here, and I think the next iPadX will include more. Siri is evolving, so it all takes time. The key to Siri is the development of all the search data bases required... in multi-languages ... very challenging... but, Apple has more people working in the Siri development than any other group within Apple. No competitor is even close to having Siri like AI capability.
Enough. iPadX is the user interface to all this new stuff. The competition has no equivalent even close when you consider the software behind iPad. It is not simply a hardware slate vs a hardware competitive slate. That is Microsoft/Intel strategy of the past ... and mobile is exploding with Apple leading the way, and they are way out front. Look at the testing and adoption of Apple's mobile products in Enterprise. Huge, folk, Huge ... 95% or more. Have a Happy.
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