Amazon.com Inc. Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos cut prices and added features to the Kindle to defend it against a threat from Apple Inc. in the fast- growing market for electronic readers.
Amazon.com introduced two new versions of the device, including a $139 model that works with Wi-Fi. A second version, with 3G mobile technology as well as Wi-Fi to download books, costs $189. Bloomberg News reported details in May about Amazon.com’s plans for the Kindle, its bestselling product.
Bezos says focusing on features that make it easier to download and read books will help distinguish its e-reader from Apple’s multipurpose iPad. The Kindle is the centerpiece of Amazon.com’s strategy to capitalize on growing consumer interest in digital books. By offering bestselling e-books for $9.99 that can be read only on the Kindle or its software, Amazon.com is seeking to lock in consumers while it’s still the market leader.
“We’re trying to build something that’s great for long- form reading — something you’d use if you want to sit down and read for two hours,” Bezos said in an interview this week. “Our mission on the device side of the business is to use the latest technology to make the very best purpose-built reading device. We think that’s a mass product.”
The latest Kindles are thinner and lighter than previous versions and feature faster page turns and sharper resolution. They’re also designed for easier reading in sunlight and have batteries that will last for a month on a single charge — two weeks longer than the previous model.
The devices will ship on Aug. 27. A notice on the company’s website says the older version of the Kindle, also $189, is temporarily out of stock.
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