We finally have a color Kindle as the entire e-reader lineup gets a refresh
by Daniel Allen · Android PoliceKey Takeaways
- Kindle Colorsoft offers color E Ink, USB-C, wireless charging, and a cool-to-warm front light, available October 30, priced at $280.
- Kindle Scribe comes in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB at $400, $420, and $450, respectively, with a premium pen and unique border.
- New Paperwhites offer faster page turns, higher contrast, and Carta 1300 display tech, but there are only minor upgrades for the base Kindle model.
If you're connected to the Kindle scene even a little bit, you're aware that the anticipation surrounding the new Kindle e-readers has been rising to a fever pitch over the last few months. It all started back in February when a Taiwanese tech analyst predicted the next batch of Kindles would have color screens. Then, in late September, the FCC published a filing from Kindle for two new devices. From there, rumors started swirling online for an October 16 release, and a number of leaks along the way gave credence to these rumors. Finally, after months of speculation, the long-rumored Kindles are finally official.
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Here's what we know
Following the FCC filing, the predominant prognostication was that we would be getting two new Kindle Paperwhites — a base version and a new Signature Edition. Shortly after this, the waters were muddied when a Spanish website inadvertently listed (and quickly took down) a new base-model Kindle weeks ahead of today's launch. Just a few days ago, we got a glimpse of the Paperwhite's new packaging in a Reddit leak. Given that the Kindle crowd was expecting only two devices this year, people were a bit let down that their dreams of a color Kindle weren't coming to fruition. Thankfully, Kindle surprised us all with not two but five new e-readers.
Source: Amazon
Kindle Colorsoft
Let's start with the most interesting device, the new Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition. It's priced at $280 and has 32GB of storage. It has USB-C and wireless charging and has a battery that Kindle claims will last up to eight weeks. It has a cool-to-warm front light and an IPX8 waterproof build.
The Colorsoft offers a 7-inch screen that is based on E Ink's Kaleido 3 tech, with some significant changes. Amazon tells us that it's using a bespoke frontlight setup with nitride LEDs (they emit a broader spectrum of light) with a "special color coating [to] focus light through individual pixels." Amazon says this will improve the Colorsoft's optical performance and frontlight efficiency. Amazon has also made some custom hardware changes to allow for more color contrast and lower latency. If you want the Colorsoft, you'll have to wait until the end of the month since it will officially release on October 30th.
Kindle Colorsoft
The Colorsoft is Amazon's first foray into color E Ink devices. You can finally highlight your favorite books in multiple colors which should be great for students and will add new depth for fans of Kindle's social highlighting features.
Kindle Scribe
Next up is the new Kindle Scribe, which clocks in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB varieties for $400, $420, and $450, respectively. All models are available in Tungsten, a sort of metallic gray, or, if you opt for the big one, Metallic Jade, which is very striking. Unlike the previous Scribe, this one is only available with the Premium Pen. This new Scribe also has a distinctive white border around the screen that gives it a more notebook-like look and blends well with the screen. Kindle is also touting some new software features like Active Canvas to facilitate writing on texts and AI tools, but we'll have to wait until December 4 to get our hands on it and see how it works.
Kindle Scribe (2024)
The new Kindle Scribe has a redesigned shell that promises to deliver a better writing experience. In addition to a cleaner look, the Scribe has some new software features that make it easier to annotate your text and new AI features to help you make sense of your notes.
Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite
Finally, if you want a new Kindle right now, you can grab a base-model Kindle for $110, the Paperwhite for $160, or the Paperwhite Signature Edition for $200. There isn't a lot of new tech in any of the new Kindles available today, but they all should offer faster page turns and higher contrast. This is thanks to upgrading the screens to the latest Carta 1300 display tech (along with some exclusive Amazon magic under the hood). This is a small step up for the Paperwhite, which was using Carta 1200 technology, but a big leap for the Kindle, which used Carta 1000. That puts the base Kindle on even footing with Kobo and its Clara BW in terms of display.
Amazon Kindle (2024)
The newest Kindle is just a small step up from its predecessor, but if you're due for an upgrade, this is a solid choice with its higher contrast and faster page turns. Plus that new Matcha color looks good.
Kindle Paperwhite (2024)
Although the new Paperwhite doesn't dramatically outshine its predecessor, with its sharper contrast, faster page turns, and flashy new colors, it might be worth upgrading if you have an older model.
Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2024)
The new Paperwhite Signature Edition has everything you love about the Paperwhite, but more of it. Along with brighter screens and quicker response, it has 12 weeks of battery life and premium wireless charging.
Based on what we know, if you have a Kindle or Paperwhite from 2022, there's really no need to upgrade your device. As far as we can tell, the only changes seem to be in the screen and maybe the battery. In particular, the base-model Kindle is listed as 11th generation, which is the same gen as the 2022 release, implying that it's essentially the same technology, with very minor upgrades. Given the dearth of technical details, the most interesting thing about the new Kindle and Paperwhite are the new colors. In addition to black, the Kindle will be available in Matcha, and both editions of the Paperwhite will be available in Metallic, Jade, and Raspberry.
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I'm holding out hope that the Colorsoft will deliver on its promises, but it has a lot of competition in the Kobo Libra Colour. Given that both are the same size and appear to be using similar display technology, Kindle needs to have an ace up its sleeve to counter Kobo's lower price ($220 vs $280), stylus support, and page-turn buttons. Given all the work Kindle has done on the hardware side of things, it definitely stands a chance. We'll know for sure in two weeks.