Amazon fires shot at Apple: Fire HD tablets are ‘2x more durable’ than iPad Air

Amid a frenzy of hardware updates, Amazon unveiled the latest iteration of its flagship Fire HD tablets.

The new tablets, far more likable than Amazon’s misguided Fire Phone, feature a few new things: a 7.7mm-thin body, a higher quality screen, more storage space, better battery life, and a faster processor.

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With this release, Amazon has targeted the iPad’s role as the default family tablet. Amazon specifically claims that, “as measured in tumble tests, [its] Fire HD is almost 2x more durable than the latest generation iPad Air.” Amazon goes on to reference Apple’s tablet six times in its announcement, championing the Fire HD as lighter while claiming to offer a larger “HD video viewing area” — whatever that means.

Here’s a closer look at the new Fire HD tablets, which cost $150 for the 8-inch model and $230 for a 10-inch model. They start shipping on September 30.