Amazon’s Kindle line seems to go longer and longer between updates. While e-readers aren’t quite the consumer electronics darlings they once were, however, the retail giant is still invested in the category. After all, according to estimates, Amazon controls more than 80% of the U.S. market.
Along with the long-awaited addition of a color Kindle, Amazon announced a refresh across the line. That includes updates to the base Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, and the stylus-enabled Kindle Scribe.
Amazon had to bring AI to the line sooner or later, so the Kindle Scribe is the first to get the honors. Leveraging the biggest Kindle’s note-taking capabilities, Amazon is adding text summaries, courtesy of a new notebook tab. The device will also clean up messy text scribbled with the Premium Pen stylus, so it’s legible while still looking like script.
The Scribe’s design language has also evolved a bit, with the addition of white borders, while the resolution remains 300 ppi. The device will also be getting a new side panel feature, which lets users write and hide notes as needed.
The new Scribe will run $399 – that’s a $50 premium over its predecessor’s already-steep price tag.
The Kindle Paperwhite, the best-selling model, is getting a display bump from 6.8 inches to a full seven inches. The device is getting a processor bump, as well, with Amazon promising 25% faster paper turns. The company rates the Paperwhite’s battery at an impressive three-months on a charge, in spite of a thinner design.
The reader is getting the same new oxide back pane found in the Colorsoft device, which allows for those faster page turns, while increasing overall battery life.
The standard Paperwhite includes 16GB of storage and is priced at $160. Another $30 will get you the Signature Edition, which includes 32GB of storage, wireless charging capabilities, and an auto-adjusting front light.
The base-level Kindle is following suit with faster page turns, a higher contrast ratio, and a 25% brighter front light, which puts it inline with the Paperwhite when set to max. Amazon is also adding a “matcha” green color. The entry-level reader starts at $110.
The Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite are available now. The new Kindle Scribe starts shipping December 4.
