The images of the new 8th generation Kindle, the launch of which was teased by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on Twitter earlier this week, have been leaked. The images were first published on Tmall's website, but were subsequently pulled down. However, the images can still be found at kindlefere.com.
According to the images, the 8th gen Kindle, dubbed the Kindle Oasis, has slimmer bezels and features a 300ppi e-ink display, like the Kindle Voyage and the 3rdgen Paperwhite. Its battery is rumoured to have a whopping 20-month standby time.
The extended battery life comes from the battery case, which has the ability to charge the Oasis' inbuilt battery. The case gets attached via magnets, and Amazon calls this a dual battery system. Also, the Verge reports that while charging with the case on, both the battery built into the case as well as the one on the reader can be charged simultaneously.
The e-reader is expected to be 3.4mm at its thinner edge and measures 8.5mm at its thicker edge.
The images also reveal that the Kindle Oasis will weigh only 131 gram. The most notable feature, however, is the redesigned form factor. The Kindle Oasis features a slight bulge off to one edge and a couple of buttons on that side next to the screen. The buttons are apparently meant for turning pages. Users can also operate the Oasis' touchscreen to turn pages. Kindlefere reveals that the Oasis features a built-in accelerometer that rotates the screen, making it easy to grip with either hand.
The site also reveals that the new Kindle features a redesigned LED backlight, which is 60 percent brighter this time around.
Since these are unconfirmed accounts, one cannot be sure that the new Kindle will indeed be called the Oasis or look like the one from the leaked images. However, the revelation that kindleoasis.com is owned by Amazon — a fact pointed out first by Motherboard — gives ample hint, making Amazon unable to contain the information until the big disclosure.
