Amazon Should Lower Kindle Pricing From $259 To $149, Says Analyst [Piper Jaffray Analyst Suggests Amazon Lower Kindle Price To Better Compete With The Apple iPad]

Tweet

Up until this point we have seen plenty of comparison between the Amazon Kindle and soon-to-be-available Apple iPad. There are obvious comparisons given the fact that each have their own book store, not to mention the similar pricing structures but at the same time they are each very different devices.

I have also been seeing lots of talk about people not wanting to buy, or who are planning to replace their Kindle with an iPad. After all, the Apple iPad will be a pretty connected ebook reader due to the available apps. iPad users will be able to read books from the iBook store, as well as read Amazon Kindle and even Barnes & Noble titles thanks to apps. But that does not necessarily make the iPad a better ebook reader. For one, the iPad is heavier. The Kindle weighs in at 10.2 ounces with the iPad at either 1.5 or 1.6 pounds. Granted, the iPad is not heavy, but certainly heavier compared. And how could I fail to mention the display, though I think that brief mention is all that is needed.

So what, if anything should Amazon do to try and take back some of the attention that the iPad has been getting? Personally, I would think that the Kindle is only going to benefit from the iPad. After all we have been seeing lots of Kindle talk now that the iPad is almost available. I have even had a few not-quite-as-geeky friends question me about them both as of late. And I was questioned by people who have never once asked me about the Kindle, despite seeing me often reading on mine.

But I guess my thought in that the Kindle is already benefiting is not enough because Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster is calling for Amazon to lower the price of the Kindle. And lower it significantly from $259 down to $149.

Of course, in addition to the price cut, Munster also suggested (when referring to Amazon) that “they should stick to what they’re good at,” and not try and compete directly with the iPad.

As for me, I have an iPad with 3G on order, but have yet to decide whether it will be an additional device or a replacement to my Kindle.