Android Central is a group of geeks who enjoy spending their time talking about the best Android phones and smartwatches. We are passionate Android enthusiasts and we have a particular product category that we don't like: Android tablets. This is not because there aren’t many excellent Android tablets out there. Samsung's Galaxy Tab S series is one example. It makes some of the most beautiful and efficient tablets, outside of the iPad. Even Lenovo is known for creating innovative and exciting devices, especially with the Yoga series of tablets. VPN Deals: A lifetime license costs $16, and monthly plans cost $1. & More. Yet, Amazon seems to be the real threat to the iPad's dominance in Android, at least in the U.S. You might be asking, "Amazon makes Android tablets?" Amazon's Fire Tablet series has been a success. These tablets are undoubtedly the most important Android tablets ever made. Google's Android 12L OS update may bring about a significant change in the Android tablet landscape. You can also create a Fire.
Source: Android Central
In 2011, Amazon launched the first (Kindle Fire Tablet), at a time in which Android tablets were dominated by devices such as the Motorola Xoom or Google's Nexus 7. Fire OS, which is the software that runs on all Fire tablets, was one of the major (tablet-forks) of the Android operating systems and, arguably, the most important. Did you know that Fire Tablets were running a version Android? Jokingly, I said that most people don't know that Amazon's tablets run Android. I was curious if and how that misperception might have affected sales and adoption of Fire tablets over time. Jitesh Ubrani, research manager at IDC, says that it is not clear if consumers are aware of the differences between Amazon's Android and Google's. According to Avi Greengart (president and lead analyst at Techsponentialk), consumers may assume Fire Tablets are Android. However, this can lead to some confusion as Fire OS doesn’t come with Google apps or services. There are however ways to sideload them. Greengart said that Fire Tablet owners might be confused if they find out that certain apps are not available in the Amazon Store. Contrary to what you might think, Fire Tablets are Amazon's Fire OS and Silk browser. This is why Fire Tablets have been so successful. Ubrani states that despite not having the Play Store or Google Apps, Amazon's app store has become very robust over the years and consumers are able to enjoy key experiences. Experts agree that Amazon's Fire tablets enjoy a large market share in countries like the U.S. Ubrani says that part of the problem in the Android tablet ecosystem is the lack of a strong competitor to Apple. He says that, aside from Apple, very few brands are known as a "standard" or a "defacto" option. However, he points out that Samsung globally, Amazon in the U.S. and Lenovo elsewhere in the world. Greengart also says that Amazon doesn't always provide sales figures for Fire Tablets. But, consumers survey show that Fire Tablet sales are behind Samsung and Apple in the U.S. IDC's internal research also supports this conclusion. Ubrani data shows that Amazon is right behind the industry giants along with Lenovo, Huawei and "others".
Source: Amazon
If Fire Tablets don't have access to Google apps and services, what are consumers seeing in Amazon's Android tablets? Ubrani says that "most consumers view Amazon as the value choice" in the tablet market. Greengart agrees. According to Greengart, the Fire Tablets are attractive to consumers because they are inexpensive. Amazon will also sell them at or near the cost of the device because it is confident that it will make money through its apps, services and ecosystem engagement. The Fire Tablet line promises durability, user-friendly functions, and, most importantly - extremely low prices. This strategy was nearly a decade old and Amazon has not looked back. Amazon seized the market for family devices
Source: Chris Wedel/Android Central
Amazon also realized early that children want their tablets to be handed over to them to entertain, educate, or just placate them. It created a parallel line of Kids Fire Tablets, which were more durable and came in fun colors. They also featured kid-friendly content, parental controls, and Amazon Kids+ (formerly Amazon FreeTime). It has effectively monopolized the family tablet market. Greengart states that Amazon's tablets are very family-friendly. Amazon allows multiple users (Apple does not), Amazon offers extensive parental controls and kids tablets that include a bumper case and an optimized user interface, no questions-asked warranty and appropriate content.
Source: Jeramy Johnson / Android Central
Fire Tablets may not be the best for getting things done but they are improving. This isn't why most people buy them or why tablets are so popular. Fire Tablets are perfect for content consumption, such as watching Netflix and Candy Crush. Why spend more for this functionality when you don't need it? Android 12L could bring about a major shift in tablet technology
Source: Nick Sutrich / Android Central
What if you want to work on your tablet? This is the main problem with this category of Android devices. It stems from a lack in developer support by Google. Developers are unable to create apps that run well on this platform. Even Chromebooks that have detachable screens or tablet capabilities have made progress in this area in recent years. With the recent announcement about Android 12L, all that may soon change. Android 12L is a long-awaited new version of Android. It's being designed with larger form factors, such as tablets and foldables (hence the "L") in Android 12L). This will enable the system to scale apps and UI elements more efficiently to maximize the screen size. It promises improvements in the handling of multitasks and notifications on larger Android devices. AndroidL is often seen as a response the rapidly expanding foldable phone market and the popularity devices like the Galaxy Z Fold 3 but it could also make a huge difference to the user experience with Android tablets.
Source: Andrew Myrick / Android Central
Amazon should not be afraid of its low position if other Android tablet makers like Samsung or Lenovo are able to take advantage the Android 12L changes. Amazon's recent venture into productivity devices, such as the Fire HD 10 Productivity Bundle and Microsoft 365, may need to be retooled in order to remain competitive with Android 12L-optimized tablets, Chromebooks, iPads and Windows devices. Ubrani states that Amazon has the potential to lead the low-cost productivity market. However, this space is very small. Buyers who care about productivity will spend more to have a better keyboard/mouse experience, and a more robust OS. Amazon could displace Chromebooks if it increased its software/services, and targeted schools specifically, but this takes a lot of investment and time.
Source: Jeramy John / Android CentralAmazon HD 10 Productivity Bundle
