Amazon has refuted reports that it will introduce a new Kindle Fire HD at an ultra-low price point of $99.
“It’s [just] not happening,” an Amazon spokesperson told The Verge. “We are already at the lowest price points possible for that hardware.”
Earlier reports from TechCrunch claimed the online retail giant was eyeing an expansion of its current tablet lineup with a lost-cost version of the Kindle Fire HD.
The device would have been powered by a TI processor like its more expensive counterparts, and feature a 1280 x 800 pixel display like the current 7-inch HD model, which sells for $199.
It should be noted that Amazon still offers the older version of the Kindle Fire, which has a lower resolution display, for $159.
While Amazon is currently shying away from a $99 price point for its flagship device, it seems to me that a tablet with a $100 price tag is inevitable.
Indeed, the Seattle-based corporation is now competing with Google’s Nexus 7, HP’s recently announced Android tablet, a slew of lower-cost devices from China and Apple’s wildly popular iPad.
So the real question is – which industry heavyweight will be the first to reach a $99 price point?
