Earlier this month, Amazon introduced three new Kindle models. This 12th-generation base model comes with a 6-inch display, 16GB of storage, and a battery that runs for up to six weeks. At 140 grams, this model is lighter and thinner than its predecessor. There is also a variant with an aluminum case that features twice the base storage at 32GB.
Is this light that goes around the base Kindle 2026's display a bug or a feature?
On Reddit, a photo snapped by a Kindle 2026 owner (12th-generation) shows a bright light that goes around the edge of the display that does not appear on the 11th-generation base model in Matcha. The light appeared when the unit's dark mode setting was enabled.
The question that the device owner had was whether the glowing light around the screen was normal. He already sent one unit back to Amazon for a replacement because it had dead pixels on the screen, and felt awkward about sending back a second unit.
Some Redditors say it is a bug, others say it is a feature, and Amazon says it is both
Some are saying that this is a feature. However, one man's feature is another man's bug. For example, another Redditor suggested that the unit with the screen glow be sent back to Amazon.
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The model on the left, from 2024, is fine. The 2026 model on the right has light bleeding through to the edge of the screen. | Image by Reddit
But Amazon has a different story to tell. The company told Android Authority that when the device is being used in a dark environment, with dark mode enabled and brightness set at max, a glow can be seen at the edge of the screen. Amazon says that this was expected so that Amazon could "achieve a color bezel."
The 16GB version of the base Kindle costs $150. As noted, the battery lasts for six weeks between charges, and books open 30% faster.
Amazon says that devices exhibiting severe light bleed should be exchanged
Even though Amazon seems to say that it expected the glow around the screen, in a comment to Good-E-Reader, Amazon indicated that "Users experiencing severe light bleed on new units are typically advised to exchange the device."
Your decision to keep or exchange your Kindle will be respected by Amazon
It sounds as though Amazon will support your decision whether you decide to exchange your base Kindle 2026 or keep the unit you have.
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Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.
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