It would appear that the biggest competitor to Google’s Chromecast has “pulled a Chromecast” and sold out no more than a week after being put on sale. Here we’re seeing the $99 USD Amazon Fire TV sold out through Amazon itself, heading to an “in stock” note for April 18th, one week from today. Of course one week delay isn’t too bad, is it? When you think about how quick the iPhone 5 sold out – going from days to weeks within weeks.
Amazon’s Fire TV has barely been on the market for a week and already the set-top box is sold out. Visiting the online retailer’s site right now, the listing shows an in-stock date of April 18—next Friday—meaning there might be a bit of a snag in the supply chain. Either demand is greater than Amazon expected, or the company only made just enough units to see how the device would be received. Maybe the company is trying to drum up hype, thus creating the illusion of demand (who knows). For a device making an entrance into an already crowded market, the Fire TV is a respectable first attempt that has a lot to offer. Not only does it access Amazon’s own ecosystem of Instant Video content, but it can run third-party apps as well, including Netflix, Hulu Plus, and WatchESPN.