The market space for 7-inch tablets is getting hotter than the temperature in the mid-Atlantic. With Google’s Nexus 7 set to debut in the next two weeks, it will square off against not only another 7-inch device, but one of the best selling Android (powered) tablets, Amazon’s Kindle Fire.
While the Kindle Fire’s sales have sort of plateaued in recent weeks, Google is still out for blood with the Nexus 7, apparently they’ve had enough of the online retailer using their software and creating their own app market.
With the announcement of the Nexus 7, it was pretty much a given that Amazon wouldn’t let their position as the top Android tablet manufacturer go so easily. So a follow-up to the Kindle Fire was to be expected. The first Kindle Fire debuted last November, for $199, and went on to be one of the hottest Christmas gifts of the season. With increased competition, Amazon may be forced to show their hand a few months earlier.
According to the China Times, who cites suppliers of the next device, Amazon has ordered 2 million next-gen Kindle Fires which it may be looking to move by early August. The new Fire tablet will retain the same 7-inch display, but will most likely receive a boost in the resolution department as well as a faster processor and some other surprises.
With a rumored 7-inch iPad around the corner as well, it looks like 2012 may be the year of 7-inch tablets.
Source: UnwiredView