Amazon unveiled enhanced versions of its Kindle and Kindle Kids e-readers on Tuesday, the first time the tech giant has upgraded its flagship e-reader in nearly three years.
The upgraded Kindle will now include a battery life of up to six weeks, USB-C charging and 16GB of storage. The Kindle Kids version will also come with a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+. The Kindle will cost $99.99, up from the previous price of $89.99. The Kindle Kids model will cost $119.99, up from $109.99.
Amazon launched the kid-friendly version of the Kindle in October 2019. It includes educational tools such as a built-in dictionary for defining complex words, achievement badges for meeting reading goals, enhanced search features and a vocabulary builder with flash cards. In the three years since launching, kids have logged nearly 3 billion minutes reading on Kindle devices, the company said.
Although Amazon has released new versions of higher-end devices such as the Kindle Paperwhite more recently, it has not upgraded its flagship Kindle since 2019. Kindle competitor Kobo recently announced its own updated e-reader, which is currently on presale for $129.99.
Amazon’s other Kindle e-readers include the Paperwhite ($139.99), Paperwhite Signature Edition ($189.99) and Oasis ($249.99). Both Kindle and Kindle Kids are available for pre-order and will begin shipping Oct. 12.
