(Image source: Wired)

 

BY EVAN THOMAS

ANCHOR NATHAN BYRNE

You're watching multisource video news analysis from Newsy.

The Fire is spreading. Analysts are saying Amazon’s Kindle Fire sold as many as six million units in the fourth quarter.

Stifel Nicolaus analyst Jordan Rohan is upping his estimates just in time for Amazon’s Tuesday earnings call. All Things Digital quotes Rohan on Amazon’s successful business model.

“Kindle Fire has staked out an important market position due to its loyal Amazon customer base and attractive (low) device pricing.”

That price -- $199 -- undercuts similar offerings from Apple and Samsung by as much as $300. The Fire doesn’t have the same sort of hardware muscle as its competition, but analysts say -- its instant access to Amazon’s vast library of digital content is what makes the Fire a winner.

Amazon is mum on actual sales figures, but AppleInsider notes Amazon has traditionally played information like this close to the chest.

“Amazon has never formally provided sales figures for any of its Kindle-branded hardware products... While that practice is expected to remain intact, the online retailer may provide some additional color on the success of Fire when it reports fourth quarter results on Tuesday.”

But according to CNET, the numbers speak for themselves. The Fire is a big chunk of the Android market.

“If Rohan's estimates are true, that would mean Amazon's Kindle Fire accounted for over half of all Android tablet shipments last quarter.”

Flurry Analytics compiled the numbers -- The Fire ate a third of the Android tablet market, just over the holiday season. Flurry says this is likely due to Amazon’s content and experience-first approach, similar to the way Apple markets the iPad.

The strategies may be similar, but the Fire is still cold compared to the iPad. Apple reported in its earnings call last week that it sold more than 15 million tablets on the quarter.