Amazon to Fix Kindle Fire Complaints with Major Update
The Kindle Fire was supposed to be Amazon’s iPad rival, but as it turns out, despite early strong sales, a number of customers have been returning their tablets and complaining about its performance in forums on Amazon’s website.
Amazon has responded to Kindle critics by vowing to issue an update that will improve the Kindle Fire’s speed, touchscreen control and privacy controls.
“In less than two weeks, we’re rolling out an over-the-air update to Kindle Fire,” Amazon spokesman Drew Herdener told the New York Times.
Users have said that they’re frustrated by the Kindle Fire’s lack of external volume control, slow page loading, touchscreen unresponsiveness and lack of privacy controls. As is, the Kindle Fire doesn’t allow users to keep their recent browsing history private.
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The Amazon forum isn’t full of complaints, though. A handful of users have posted praise for the device, stating that they’re pleased with what the Kindle Fire offers at its low, $199 price point.
“I have no regrets. Love the interface, the screen, and the lack of hardware buttons--the soft buttons work well for me,” one user wrote. “I've tried and returned several tablets, but this one's a keeper.”
There are no signs that sales for the Kindle Fire have slowed and the new update could potentially provide Amazon with a sales boost.
“Initial market response strongly suggests that Amazon, with the Kindle Fire, has found the right combination of savvy pricing, astute marketing, accessible content and an appropriate business model, positioning the Kindle Fire to appeal to a brand-new set of media tablet buyers,” wrote researcher Rhoda Alexander, in a report for analyst firm IHS.
