Is Kindle Innovation Done?
 

Is there any hope of Amazon making a larger screen no oasis device? Color device anything other than the current 3 skus they currently have?

Magic 8 Ball says...Cannot Predict Now.

I think a large screen with a front light would be too costly for most users. $250 is high, especially given the dismal battery life of the Oasis 2. 6-7" screens seem about perfect for the majority of users.

I had the DX, but it was too large, too wide of a screen making too wide of a text column. It was great in theory, but not in actual use for reading novels and regular books.

But they could make a 7 inch waterproof voyage. I guess I wonder if they’re just gonna sit with what they have now cause they can make money doing it and innovation cost money.

There have been rumors that they might release a Voyage 2, but I think they'd have a hard time segmenting the different price points in a way that makes sense.

It also sounds like the research lab that did all of the Kindle hardware was being tasked with coming up with Covid testing strategies for the company, so everything else may have been put on hold for a while. It's hard to say from the outside.

I know for sure that I'd jump at the chance to get a Voyage 2 with all the Oasis 3 features, USB C, improved battery life, etc.

It's been 13 years since the Voyage was released. It would be weird for them to release a new one now.

My ancient Kindle Touch has essentially the same klunky UI as the Oasis. If they can't be bothered to make a better UI I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for any innovation.

You need to look at the bigger picture. Much like Apple iPhones using parts, including the screen, from many different suppliers, same goes for Amazon and Kindle e-readers. You need to look at the current state of e-ink technology to determine possible features in new devices. Color e-ink is coming within a year, commercially. Most existing e-reader devices use the same e-ink Carta screen, which is why the specs and resolution are the same.

Unless Amazon makes some radical changes to the firmware, I see no real innovation no matter the hardware.

Color e-ink has been "coming" for over 10 years. It's here now, but doesn't bring much to the table for those who simply want to read.

6 years, not 13. But yes, it would still be weird.

If you want a screen larger than 7", you can get an 8" device from Kobo. Kobo ereaders are marketed for roughly the same customer base as Amazon ereaders.

To my mind, this gives us reason to believe in the possibility of a larger screen from Amazon.

Since I read text, colour would not be innovation for me. Improved contrast would; it would make e-ink look more like paper. Is there anyone working on e-ink with improved contrast? I doubt it.

I'm guessing the ship has sailed on that one, despite the three or four (or five?) "scoops" by GoodEReader to the contrary.

As for innovation from Amazon on the Kindle line... I don't know. I thought for sure they would come out with a color eReader when others did, but now I'm wondering if they feel the Fire fills that space.

Wow, bad maths for me.

Hubby is currently having appendix surgery, I shouldn’t have posted during the stressful “should we go to the hospital or not” phase. He thought he was having a reaction to a med.

I’m sitting alone in a usually very full surgical waiting room. It’s 11:30 p.m. It’s weird.

It’s been a weird day, after a weird week, in a weird month, in the year 2020.

Best wishes for his quick recovery. This has been one weird year.

Thanks, it was 1 a.m. by the time I got home, long day. Slept like a rock once my brain shut off.