Amazon vs. Apple | Beneath the Brand

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Amazon vs. Apple

By: Janet Kalandranis

Customers want services, not the gadget. Or at least that’s what Amazon focused on in its new release last week through a set of tablet devices. The brand directly challenged Apple with this launch, hoping to dominate the market with a one-two punch combo. Amazon’s latest strategy is to provide customers with services that give them with benefits and extras that supersede what’s currently out in the market.

Amazon has been playing in the shadow of Apple lately, yet this past week the brand took a step into the spotlight. By making a product announcement almost one week prior to Apple’s rumored launch of the next iPhone, Amazon has some time to shine. And instead of talking one product, the brand knew it had to come out with something more and something innovative. Amazon launched two new sizes for the Kindle Fire along with new e-ink Kindles. In addition, the brand focused on the new content and technology updates, hoping to feed on what consumers want: services, not gadgets.

Amazon knew it had to provide something worthy of being “talked about.” As opposed to last year’s strategy, where the Kindle Fire was really bare bones, the new fleet of devices will provide new functionality, like increased memory, access to more books, and voice technology for audio books. Amazon is providing customers with options to fit their needs and their lifestyles. So instead of focusing on one gadget, the brand has created a path to get various users interested and hopefully dominate in sales. Amazon is looking to gain revenue through the way consumers use the devices instead of solely relying on the cost of the device itself. The question though, is: What will Apple announce this Wednesday and will it go above and beyond what Amazon has already created?