Amazon launches thinnest, lightest Kindle Paperwhite

US-based tech giant Amazon.com Inc introduced on Wednesday its latest Kindle Paperwhite, featuring a thinner and lighter design, sleek flush-front display and waterproofing, so readers can read by the pool, in the bath, or at the beach.

"We're excited to bring even more premium features—like a thinner and lighter flush-front design, additional storage and waterproofing—to our most popular Kindle," said Jorrit Van der Meulen, vice-president of Amazon Devices International.

"Since Kindle entered the Chinese market in 2013, it has been very well received by Chinese users," said Michael Zuo, vice-president of Amazon China.

"To satisfy the needs of Chinese customers, we intend to launch new Kindles globally, including China. We're excited to bring the all-new Kindle Paperwhite to Chinese users with premium features, which we hope will inspire more Chinese customers to read," Zuo added.

The all-new Kindle Paperwhite features a sleek, flush-front design and a back made of soft, grippable material so it rests easily in your hand. It is the thinnest and lightest Kindle Paperwhite yet, measuring 8.18 mm thick and weighing 182g, so extended reading sessions are even more comfortable.

The six-inch, high resolution 300 ppi display features crisp, laser-quality text that reads like real paper. It also includes five LEDs and an adjustable front light for a uniform, glare-free display in any setting—even direct sunlight and dark night.

Priced at 998 yuan ($144) for the 8 GB model and 1,258 yuan for the 32 GB model, the all-new Kindle Paperwhite is available for pre-order starting today on Amazon.cn, the Kindle Tmall Flagship Store, JD.com, Suning.com and other online channels.

According to Amazon, Kindle e-readers come with instant access to the Kindle Store, which provides readers with over 660,000 books, and unlimited reading of over 120,000 books including popular titles for just 12 yuan a month or 118 yuan a year.