Kindle Fire Sales May Be As High As 2M So Far, Says Analyst

Analysts estimate that the Kindle Fire, Amazon's new tablet for consuming eBooks/media and playing games, has shipped 3 to 4 million units, and sold as many as 2 million or more of the device. The online retailer has never revealed specific sales figures for its Kindle line, but eDataSource CEO Carter Nicholas, puts the number of Kindle Fires sold directly through the Amazon.com at 850,000 since the tablet's debut two weeks ago. "Amazon may have sold as many as 2 million or more so far when you consider all sales channels," Nicholas told CNET. During Black Friday, the $199 Kindle Fire outsold all other tablets, even Apple's iPad, on Best Buy's site. The Kindle Fire's early popularity could bring hope to those developing tablet games for Android-powered devices -- other tablets featuring Google's operating system, like the Motorola Xoom, have failed to achieve even a fraction of iPad's sales. Amazon's 7-inch tablet features a highly customized version of Android and its proprietary Appstore for purchasing games and applications (the free service is available for other Android smartphones and tablets, too). While the Appstore's selection is smaller than Google's Android Market, Amazon is attracting users with exclusive titles and app giveaways. Yesterday Crowdstar unveiled a timed Appstore exclusive, with the Kindle Fire in mind, for its Top Girl Android port. Analysts expect strong sales for the Kindle Fire to continue, and DigiTimes reports the device's manufacturer Quanta Computer has shipped 3 to 4 million units. Supplier Wintek is also expected to ship 3 to 3.5 million Kindle Fire touch panels before January.