online Android tablets are Amazon Kindle Fires

Fifty-four per cent of all Android tablets are Amazon Kindle Fires, according to research from Com Score. The second most popular tablet, Samsung's Galaxy Tab, has 15.4 per cent of the market. Although Amazon's Kindle Fire runs on the Android operating system, it uses a 'forked' version of the OS, meaning that it has been customised by Amazon and looks very different from a standard Android installation. Other Android tablets making Com Score's list include the Motorola Xoom, which was the third most common tablet, with 7 per cent share, the Asus Transformer, with 6.3 per cent, and the Toshiba AT100, with 5.7 per cent. Amazon has not said how many Kindle Fire tablets it has sold but it does say that the device, which was launched in the US November, is the most popular product the company offers. The 7-inch tablet sells for $199. Earlier this week, the online retailer announced a 34 per cent increase in revenues in the first quarter. Despite the success of the Kindle Fire, Com score said that tablets with larger screens appeared to lead to higher levels of content consumption. The research found that 10-inch tablets have a 39 per cent higher consumption rate than 7-inch tablets. The Kindle Fire has not yet been released outside the US. Earlier this month Amazon launched the Kindle Touch - the touch screen version of its popular ebook reader - in Britain. Com Score estimated market share by tracking device traffic online. The research was carried out in February.

Source: The Telegraph, UK