17 october 2024 : Amazon announced its first color Kindle e-reader, the Kindle Colorsoft, on Wednesday, marking the culmination of years of development aimed at creating a more immersive reading experience.
The Colorsoft is priced at $280, which positions it in a range similar to other devices available on Amazon, which vary from $149 to $330. It utilizes LEDs and other technologies to deliver its color display, according to a company statement.
Previously, Amazon had attempted to create color e-readers using eInk technology, which is featured in its standard Kindles and is known for its low battery consumption. The Colorsoft offers a battery life of about eight weeks, compared to the up to three months of the latest Paperwhite model.
In addition to the Colorsoft, Amazon also introduced a new 7-inch Paperwhite e-reader, which is slightly larger than its predecessor. An updated Kindle Scribe was also announced, enabling users to write on the screen with a stylus and convert their handwriting into more readable text.
The new Kindle Scribe can summarize in-book notes using artificial intelligence to transform pages of notes into bullet points, the company revealed.
Amazon continues to lead the e-reader market, holding over 75% of the share. The company sells these devices close to cost, profiting primarily from book and reading material sales.
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased e-reader usage as many libraries closed but still provided access to e-books. Kindles frequently see discounts during events like Prime Day. The Colorsoft will be available for shipping starting October 30, while the new Scribe will ship on December 4.