We know that manufacturers of devices like smartphones and tablets often mark down prices when newer versions will hit the market. In the ongoing battle of tablet wars, research from Gazelle, an electronics reseller, suggests that iPads retain more value over time than Kindles.
Gazelle Numbers at a Glance
- Consumers may typically resell an iPad for half of its original cost.
- Kindles depreciate 22 percent faster than iPads.
- Kindle e-readers retain about 25 to 33 percent of their original price after a year. A year after the release date, the value continues to decline on the secondary market.
Concluding Thoughts
While the Kindle is talked about being the brand to compete with Apple, comparing Kindles to iPads is not a fair assessment. An iPad has more features than a Kindle. As consumers we know the differences in the product. While I have said before that Amazon will likely expand on its Kindle line, I would expect an iPad, a product that has been on the market longer, to retain more value.
At this time, an iPad compared to even the Kindle Fire is not a fair comparison of secondary value. A Kindle is still an e-reader at its core, a tablet is not. In addition, the Kindle Fire has been available for a much shorter period of time. A more logical study would compare a tablet with similar features and track the resell value of those devices over a period of time.
