Some are already predicting a two horse race in the bid for future media tablet dominance, with the Amazon Kindle Fire -out on 15 November in the US - seen as the major contender to Apple's iPad.

However, according to top executives at the Cupertino-based firm, Tim Cook and Peter Oppenheimer, the Kindle Fire represents another positive for Apple.

They argue it will only serve to fragment the Android market even further.

Fragged

A report from Business Insider reveals that when Barclays analyst Ben Reitzes met with Apple's CEO and CFO they had this to say:

"While the pricing at $199 looks disruptive for what seems to be the iPad's most important rising challenge, the Amazon Fire – it is important to note that it could fuel further fragmentation in the tablet market.

"The more fragmentation, the better, since that could drive more consumers to the stable Apple platform. We believe that Apple will get more aggressive on price with the iPad eventually but not compromise the product quality and experience."

If estimates that the Kindle Fire could sell 5 million units by the end of 2011 come to fruition, Apple would certainly have cause for concern, though, in comparison, the last financial report it released showed that over 11 million iPad units had been sold in its last quarter alone.

[source: Business Insider]