Amazon has recently released a new version of its cheapest Kindle yet and it's gotten slimmer compared to previous versions.
For only £69.99 in the United Kingdom or about $89.99, Kindle now has a better screen and front light as well as higher contrast and better touch screen, which were previously only available to more expensive Kindle versions.
This was also the first Kindle under £100 or $130 with a built-in adjustable front light, according to Eric Saarnio, head of the Amazon devices in Europe.
"Customers consistently tell us how much they appreciate having a front light on Kindle devices so they can read in any environment - even in bed at night," said Saarnio.
The new Kindle, which can be bought in black or white cases, is available for pre-order on March 20. Shipment begins on April 10.
What Are The Features Of The New Kindle?
The all-new Kindle has a similar light to the Kindle Paperwhite and also has the same design with its 2015 version, with its bottom chin, rounded plastic sides, and lip to the screen where the front light is located.
The Verge reported that aside from the front light, the new Kindle has not changed much compared to previous versions.
The new version comes with a 6-inch or 167 ppi e-ink display, with an adjustable front light that shows light from the sides to make the screen more readable at night. Previous versions such as Paperwhite and Oasis both had 300 ppi displays.
The new Kindle also weighs 174g and is 8.7mm thick, which is 13g heavier but 0.4mm thinner than previous versions. This still makes the new Kindle easy to hold and not cumbersome.
When it comes to the touch screen, the new version has removed the infrared-based touch system and instead, uses a more modern capacitative touchscreen, which is used in smartphones and in Paperwhite. This feature makes the screen more responsive.
The new e-reader has a longer battery life of six weeks based on 30 minutes of reading a day if the Wi-Fi is turned off, according to Amazon. In its new description, Amazon boasts of a battery charge that lasts for weeks, not hours. Furthermore, the new Kindle contains Amazon reading features such as Whispersync, Audible, Smart Lookup, Goodreads, and Family Library.
Is Kindle Still In Demand?
The market for e-readers has mostly been in-decline since 2015. However, Wired reported that Amazon says there is still a high demand for Kindle devices. Meanwhile, other Kindle versions have been pulled out from the market, such as the Kindle Voyage in July 2018.
The Kindle Voyage came out in 2014 at a price of $200, which was quite expensive for an e-reader at that time. It was marketed as a premium version, with integrated features from the basic Kindle and Paperwhite such as haptic buttons and glass screen. It was also thinner and lighter compared to the other versions.
Kindle is popular among consumers because, according to Kevin Keith, the vice president of Amazon Devices, the gadget offers a reading experience minus the distractions.
The Audible app, which is for audiobooks, was first introduced with the Kindle Oasis in 2016. A Kindle can store up to 14 audiobooks and thousands of ebooks, which is standard to readers.
