ChangeWave: Kindle Fire Sputters, Distant Second to iPad

ChangeWave: Kindle Fire Sputters, Distant Second to iPad

While Google’s Android continues to dominate the smartphone market, manufacturers creating tablets with the same operating system are still fighting an uphill battle against Apple’s iPad -- including the once white-hot Amazon Kindle Fire.

ChangeWave Research has posted the results of its May survey, which collected the responses of 2,893 consumers to examine the demand for tablets in North America. To almost no one’s surprise, the iPad continues to hold a commanding lead with Amazon’s Kindle Fire a distant second and the Samsung Galaxy Tab showing modest signs of life behind it.

The May research is the first since the new iPad hit the streets in March, which finds seven percent of the consumers queried plan to buy a tablet in the next 90 days. Of that group, a full 73 percent are eyeing the iPad, with the Kindle Fire a distant second with only eight percent interest, followed closely by Samsung with six percent.

“Other than that, no other manufacturer is garnering more than three percent of planned purchases,” ChangeWave notes, clearly bad news for the rest of the Android tablet manufacturers.

The news is also bad for Amazon, whose $199 Kindle Fire blasted out of the gates last November with 22 percent interest from future buyers. That number has since dropped precipitously to only seven percent in March and barely increased to eight percent last month.

On the subject of customer satisfaction, the iPad is also way out in front, with the new iPad garnering 81 percent “very satisfied,” the iPad 2 close behind with 71 percent and the Samsung Galaxy Tab out in third with 46 percent. The Kindle Fire is close behind with 41 percent, a number also held by all other tablets.

The survey wrapped up by inquiring about the proposed seven-inch “iPad mini,” which many believe Apple will release before the end of the year. Of those expressing interest in such a device, 14 percent claimed it was “Somewhat Likely,” with three percent stating “Very Likely” instead.

“At the moment, the greatest competitive threat to the new iPad could well be the iPad Mini -- which doesn’t exist yet, but even if it ever does, it too will be made by Apple,” said ChangeWave vice president of research Dr. Paul Carton. “When it comes to tablets, the ChangeWave survey shows Apple continuing to exert near total control over the market.”

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter

(Image courtesy of ChangeWave Research)

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