Sina Technology News Beijing time on the evening of May 13th, according to foreign media reports, Amazon has just released two new 8-inch Fire tablets today, starting at $89.99.
Among them, the entry-level model Fire HD8 is equipped with a faster processor than before, and 32 GB of storage space. The upgraded model, the Fire HD8 Plus, comes with more storage, supports wireless charging, and a six-month subscription to Kindle UnLimited (Amazon’s book rental subscription service) for $109.99.
Both tablets will ship on June 3 this year.
The launch of the new tablet comes at a time when the coronavirus pandemic has caused a significant portion of the world to work from home. Tablets have larger screens compared to phones and are generally good at doing a variety of tasks people do at home, including content consumption.
According to data, sales of tablets and other large Electronic products in the United States have increased significantly during the epidemic. Research firm NPC expects sales of TVs, tablets and PCs in the U.S. to rise 33% year over year in the first week of May.
For the tablet business, Amazon’s strategy is to sell the device at a low price and then entice consumers to buy digital content like its movies and books. Some of Amazon’s devices also come bundled with a free trial period for Amazon’s content service, which helps boost the number of subscribers to its service.
Analysts said Amazon’s launch of the new tablet at this time also showed that its electronics supply chain was functioning properly and was able to escort the new product.
According to IDC data, Amazon was the world’s fourth-largest tablet maker in 2019 by tablet shipments, behind Huawei, Samsung and Apple.
Amazon’s two new tablets feature USB-C charging, a microSD card slot for expandable built-in storage, and 12 hours of battery life, up from the previous 10 hours.
Additionally, Amazon has released a version aimed at kids for $139.99 with a durable, kid-friendly case.
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