Amazon slims down new Kindle, UK release date confirmed

Amazon has just announced a new version of its entry-level Kindle eReader. The all-new Kindle is now thinner and lighter than its predecessor, and comes with double the amount of storage, taking its onboard capacity up to 4GB. Thankfully, Amazon hasn’t increased the price, as the base unit that comes with ads and special offers plastered all over the screen still costs just £60, although you can pay £70 for the privilege of no ads.

Measuring 160x115x9.1mm and weighing 161g, the new Kindle is almost a centimetre shorter than the previous generation and has a new, more rounded design to make it easier to hold. It also supports several new reading features such as Export Notes. This lets you transfer any notes you make on your current book to your email address, allowing you to access them from anywhere in the world if you don’t have your Kindle to hand. You won’t be able to use this feature straight out of the box, unfortunately, but Amazon’s promised that it will be made available for free via an over-the-air update in the coming weeks.

The new Kindle also has built-in Bluetooth audio support to make it more accessible for visually impaired users. As long as they have a pair of Bluetooth headphones or a Bluetooth speaker to hand, they can use the Kindle’s VoiceView screen reader feature to read what’s currently onscreen without the need for an adaptor. Unlike Export Notes, this will be available straight out of the box.

The new Kindle has an updated homescreen interface as well, which Amazon says will make it easier for users to find their next book, manage their Wish Lists, and see recommendations from other readers via Goodreads.

The new Kindle will be available from the 20th July, but you can pre-order the device straight from Amazon right now in either black or white. It will also be joined by a new white version of the existing Kindle Paperwhite, which will be available for £110 from the 30th June.