Amazon Announcement: Bigger, Cheaper Kindles

Amazon announced on Thursday the addition of a new array of Kindle tablets, some more sophisticated and some more simple. The Kindle Fire HD has several versions, starting at $199, while a new lighted e-reader, Paperwhite, was also unveiled.

The company’s end goal of getting customers to purchase more content from them continues with their prices less than competitors like Apple’s iPad and even Google’s Nexus tablet, reports USA Today.

Amazon unveiled its new line of devices at a press event in Santa Monica, California, where CEO Jeff Bezos emphasized how Kindle products offer unique experiences, even though they run on the same Android operating system as their competitors.

The new Kindle lineup is likely to put the pressure on Apple who, despite their loyal customers, has relatively high prices, leaving an opening for rivals to lure customers away with cheaper but similar alternatives.

Bezos also hinted that the tablets and e-readers are not meant to be a profit driver, but instead a lead-in for consumers to purchase more digital books, songs, games, and videos the company offers online.

PCWorld notes that the new Kindle Fire HD line will include a LTE option, as well as a 7-inch screen or 8.9-inch screen. The 7-inch model will have storage starting at 16 GB and will ship on September 14 at a price of $199.

The 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD will cost $299 and ship on November 20. As for the Kindle Fire HD 4G LTE wireless 32GB, customers will have to pay $499 for the model, which also ships November 20.

New features for the Kindle Fire HD line include a larger screen, more storage, and mobile broadband capabilities. They will also have a faster processor and boast a front-facing camera, which the original Kindle Fire did not have.

[iframe src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/M-DfPf0IRxQ” width=”560? height=”315?]