New Kindles on their way?

[DNSB]

Not sure but looking back at the 11th gen Paperwhite, the base model and the Signature edition had separate FCC registration numbers (2AYXP-6252 & 2AYXP-6253 submitted by Avalite Bakerite LLC). The Kindle Basic would consume one of the FCC registrations so the Paperwhite 12th gen, if it exists, would only have one model.

[binaryhermit]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Not sure but looking back at the 11th gen Paperwhite, the base model and the Signature edition had separate FCC registration numbers. The Kindle Basic would consume one of the FCC registrations so the Paperwhite 12th gen, if it exists, would only have one model.

I was thinking either the SE didn't sell well enough to justify its existence or the PW6 took the main selling point from the PW5SE, wireless charging, rendering the PW6SE nothing more than a PW5 with more storage at best (unless Amazon has some other gimmick to try to sell a PW6SE)

[BionicGecko]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Not sure but looking back at the 11th gen Paperwhite, the base model and the Signature edition had separate FCC registration numbers. The Kindle Basic would consume one of the FCC registrations so the Paperwhite 12th gen, if it exists, would only have one model.

Seeing that the Signature edition is out of stock, this would suggest they are retiring it altogether. Assuming the Paperwhite box posted above is genuine, then the new Paperwhite won’t have wireless charging.

I’m not looking to buy a Paperwhite but if I was I believe I’d rather have 0.2” smaller screen but with wireless charging. Seems like a missed opportunity to really differentiate the Paperwhite from the basic Kindle. Then again perhaps cost concerns are driving this decision.

[Frogm4n]

They already dropped wireless charging from new Fire tablets and got rid of the Plus models entirely. I don't have a guess on how they're going with the Kindles but dropping the SE and moving wireless charging to the regular PW would be odd compared to their moves on Fires.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by binaryhermit

I was thinking either the SE didn't sell well enough to justify its existence or the PW6 took the main selling point from the PW5SE, wireless charging, rendering the PW6SE nothing more than a PW5 with more storage at best (unless Amazon has some other gimmick to try to sell a PW6SE)

Or the new Paperwhite 6 will come with wireless charging. Not that much cost difference in manufacturing and the opportunity to sell a wireless charging stand.

[binaryhermit]

Originally Posted by BionicGecko

Assuming the Paperwhite box posted above is genuine, then the new Paperwhite won’t have wireless charging.

Or it's not notable enough to the powers that be to get mentioned *shrug*

[MadHatch]

Given the 12th Gen Basic, Kids and Paperwhite have all leaked now (thank you John Lewis) there is a yet unseen device that has QI charging that has not been revealed. I guess we shall know soon.

[binaryhermit]

Originally Posted by MadHatch

there is a yet unseen device that has QI charging that has not been revealed.

[CITATION_NEEDED]
Also, it's possible there's something along the lines of a Paperwhite SE coming later.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by MadHatch

Given the 12th Gen Basic, Kids and Paperwhite have all leaked now (thank you John Lewis) there is a yet unseen device that has QI charging that has not been revealed. I guess we shall know soon.

When did you see a Paperwhite 12th gen on the John Lewis site? Though it seems the Kindle Basic 12th gen. have disappeared from the site, I never saw a Paperwhite 12th on that site.

[tomsem]

I got an email from Amazon this morning for 'things we think you'd like'. One of them was the Kindle Oasis 'international edition'. In the same email it said 'not available at your address'.

I found the Oasis really uncomfortable to hold when I had one, compared to my Paperwhite. I traded it in for a Scribe.

[binaryhermit]

I mean, hasn't the Oasis basically been discontinued for months?

I'd guess that seller is located in a different country and doesn't want to deal with international shipping. Then add on some not-so-intelligent artificial intelligence from Amazon...

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by binaryhermit

I was thinking either the SE didn't sell well enough to justify its existence or the PW6 took the main selling point from the PW5SE, wireless charging, rendering the PW6SE nothing more than a PW5 with more storage at best (unless Amazon has some other gimmick to try to sell a PW6SE)

Another selling point was that the SE did not have Special Offers.

But it makes no sense to keep having so many SKUs if sales are dropping off. They can now probably just have one hardware configuration (32GB) with wireless charging and (for markets with SO's) with and without SO's.

I was doing nearly all of my reading on an iPad mini before I got a Paperwhite SE. It addressed all of the deficiencies of the PW4 (better and larger display, USB-C, and significantly faster). But Scribe has replaced any reading I was doing on the Paperwhite.

[binaryhermit]

Or multiple SKUs varying only in storage and maybe case color.

They don't even need to separate out the SO/no SO variants, just have a SO variant and let people pay to remove ads.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by binaryhermit

Or multiple SKUs varying only in storage and maybe case color.

They don't even need to separate out the SO/no SO variants, just have a SO variant and let people pay to remove ads.

They don't need storage variants. It's cheaper to just have one thing to produce and have in stock, particularly if sales are dropping off and it's not much different than the current model. Kindle color variants usually show up later in the product cycle and not when it is launched.

Amazon has never not offered SOs as an option. They get the money up front, instead of having it dribble in later (and if the Kindle sees low usage, as many must, they derive little ad revenue). I think the only difference is a label attached to the package, the hardware is the same.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by tomsem

Amazon has never not offered SOs as an option. They get the money up front, instead of having it dribble in later (and if the Kindle sees low usage, as many must, they derive little ad revenue). I think the only difference is a label attached to the package, the hardware is the same.

Last time I looked, in Canada and many other countries, Amazon does not sell ad supported variants of their ereaders.