SAN FRANCISCO — Amazon is dangling a $50 tablet computer in its latest attempt to lure consumers who can’t afford or don’t want the more expensive devices.
The 7-inch Fire tablet unveiled Thursday marks Amazon’s most aggressive attempt yet to undercut Apple, which has been the market leader since its first iPad went on sale five years ago.
Inc. isn’t trying to persuade anyone that its cheap tablet matches the quality of its own sleeker, higher-priced Fire HD alternatives. The Seattle company is counting on the new tablet’s low price to encourage more people to buy a device and, in the process, buy more merchandise from its store.
“Our tablet focus is in and around content consumption,” said David Limp, Amazon’s senior vice president of de- vices.
