Cheap Android tablets are nothing new at this point, with devices like the $199 Kindle Fire HD and Nexus 7 offering serious pricing competition in comparison to Apple’s own $329 iPad mini – but just how cheap could Android tablets become? According to a new report from TechCrunch, Amazon is planning to launch a new $99 version of their Kindle Fire HD tablet. At $99, such a device could serve as a serious slap in the face to the 7-inch tablet market.
We’re now hearing that a $99 Kindle Fire 7″ tablet is in production, and will be shipping this year. At a price that low, the Kindle Fire would be able to more easily compete at the tail end of the Android-based tablet market – an area which is today dominated by low-cost tablets out of China, often sold at the sub-$100 price point.
According to the report, the device will feature a TI OMAP processor and a 7-inch display with the same resolution as the current Kindle Fire HD at 1280×600. Earlier this month, Amazon lowered the pricing on their 8.9 inch tablets, slashing $30 off the base model 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD, and a full $100 off the 4G LTE version.
While Amazon denies that the report is accurate, that’s hardly surprising – companies often issue such denials whether a new product is in the works or not. It would hardly be surprising for Amazon to make such a move – they’ve already shown that they’re not afraid to lose money on their tablets in an effort to gain market share, hoping to regain the money from purchases of MP3s, e-books, and other media from their online store.
A $99 tablet would throw a serious monkey wrench in the works for Amazon’s competition, and may even stab into Apple’s iPad mini market share. However enticing a $99 tablet may sound, however, it’s important to remember that all-important nugget of wisdom: You get what you pay for!
