Skip to main content

Amazon TV ad puts Kindle Fire HD up against iPad

amazon ipad adNo doubt buoyed by recent news that its Kindle Fire tablets currently hold 33 percent of the US Android tablet market, Amazon has rolled out a TV ad with Apple’s iPad in its sights.

Sure, Apple’s device continues to dominate the overall tablet market, but data released last week by research firm IDC suggests the tide may be turning in favor of its competitors. Does Amazon smell blood?

In its new ad (below), the e-commerce giant was confident enough to show its 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD device directly alongside the 9.7-inch iPad.

The voiceover introduces both tablets: This is the iPad with Retina display. And this is the new Kindle Fire HD with an 8.9-inch display….

And even compliments the iPad’s screen: Stunning HD.

Before complimenting the Kindle Fire’s display too: Stunning HD. In fact, you may not be able to tell the difference….

Then the killer line: …but your wallet definitely can.

At the same time, the cost of each device shows up on the screen of each tablet: the iPad for $499 and the Fire for $299 (or $269 if you take advantage of the company’s special offer running this week).

The ad’s focus on the 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD’s 254-pixels-per-inch display is perfectly understandable, as it’s only a few pixels fewer than what the iPad offers with its 264 PPI display. To see how the two tablets compare on other features, check out DT’s spec showdown here.

Amazon’s anti-iPad campaigns don’t always go to plan, however. The Seattle-based company had to pull an erroneous comparison ad from its website last October when it wrongly listed Apple’s iPad Mini as having a mono speaker when it does in fact have dual stereo ones.

Editors' Recommendations

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Apple updated two of its biggest iPad apps, and they look amazing
A screenshot of the new Final Cut Pro app.

Apple pulled off a surprise today with a pair of new iPad Pros that leverage the new M4 silicon. To go with it, the company has also revealed updated versions of the Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro apps that introduce a healthy bunch of new features to take advantage of all the firepower the M4 offers.

Starting with Final Cut Pro 2 for iPad, the app gains new tricks such as Live Multicam, external drive support, Live Drawing, and more. Apple claims that thanks to the M4 silicon, the updated app boosts rendering speeds by 2x and opens the doors for 4x higher streams for editing ProRES RAW content.

Read more
Apple’s new iPad Air is official, with a lot of big upgrades
An official photo of the 2024 iPad Air.

Apple unveiled two new iPad Air models -- an 11-inch version and a 13-inch version -- at its May 7 "Let Loose" event. This is the first time that two iPad Air models have been launched simultaneously, and they're both packed with big upgrades.

The new iPad Air models still feature a Liquid Retina display. However, the 12MP front-facing ultrawide camera with Center Stage has been relocated to the landscape edge, making it perfect for video calls. The camera provides high-resolution photos and detailed 4K video, with support for 240 frames-per-second (fps) in slow-motion.

Read more
Apple overhauled its two best iPad accessories. Here’s what’s new
Apple Pencil Pro

Apple has unveiled two new accessories for the iPad Pro 2024 models, an upgraded Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil that offer significant improvements compared to their previous versions.

The latest version of the Magic Keyboard has undergone a redesign, making it thinner and lighter than its predecessor. It is now available in two colors to complement the new iPad Pro models. Some new features include a function row equipped with screen brightness controls, an aluminum palm rest, and a larger trackpad with haptic feedback.

Read more