A few days ago we were talking about the possibility of Amazon finally releasing a Kindle with a larger screen now that the Kobo Aura One has made 7.8-inch E Ink screens popular.
But what about a waterproof Kindle? That’s another feature that Kobo offers but Amazon does not.
In fact Kindles are lagging way behind in that regard.
Kobo has been selling a waterproof model since 2014 with the Kobo Aura H2O, and the Aura One is also waterproof.
The Nook GlowLight Plus that Barnes and Noble released in 2015 is waterproof too.
Even smaller companies like Pocketbook offer a waterproof ereader.
So why is Amazon the only one not offering a Kindle that can withstand a trip to the beach, the sauna, a bathtub or pool?
Currently the only way to get a water-resilient Kindle is to buy one from a third-party company called Waterfi. They sell aftermarket Kindles that have been waterproofed, but they cost about $100 more than the regular models.
It seems kind of silly to spend that much extra when refurbished waterproof Nooks sell for only $79.
It’s about time that Amazon came out with their own waterproof Kindle, and they might as well make one with a 7.8-inch screen while they’re at it…
No I don’t think so. I think Amazon would have already released a larger and waterproof Kindle by now if that was in their plans.
It seems as though Amazon has a different strategy, Eco-system and Advertisement whereas Kobo focuses strictly on Hardware. When your Eco-system and software isn’t up to Par with the competition, your main selling point then becomes high-end hardware to lure in customers. While i’ll be the first to tout that I love Kobo’s software and all the capabilities, patches, customization and flexibility options, I know their software can be buggy, and lag in comparison to Amazon’s.
So once again, different companies, different strategies. One has one specific focus while the other has a completely different other.
“It seems as though Amazon has a different strategy, Eco-system and Advertisement whereas Kobo focuses strictly on Hardware.”
That’s a terrible business model for Amazon. People want the hardware *and* the Amazon infrastructure (access to the most books at the cheapest price, easy download, etc), but if given the choice between the two they’re going to choose the hardware. Denying customers the desired hardware will only encourage more online piracy. Who cares about the Amazon infrastructure when people can download the ebook for free off a torrent site and *very easily* put it on a Kobo (or different) e-reader that is exactly the size they want and has all the features they desire?
I hope so, otherwise I won’t be buying another Kindle any time soon.
I would love a large-format, waterproof Kindle but Amazon doesn’t _have_ to pursue these edge features so long as the core featureset of their e-readers remains best in class. I like my Kobo Aura One, but I prefer my Oasis. The entire usage and reading experience on the Kindle is just a league better than the Kobo’s. Amazon can cost on that and the small number of us who’d jump all over a large, waterproof Kindle aren’t numerous enough to spur them to fill that need.
You don’t really need a lot of things until you use them and then realize how you lived without them; we’ve all had those epiphanies at one point or another. Take the iPhone for example, for years Apple was hell bent stubborn on keeping it 4 inches so much so that they were ridiculed by Samsung on numerous TV commercials. Now people swear by the larger Plus models and they are Apple’s best seller. They finally caved in to waterproof many years later and people love it. In other words, companies need to take the lead, they need to be trail blazers, pathfinders so to speak and take initiative and not wait for the customer to tell them what they need to do. In this regard Amazon lacks the initiative.
I highly disagree that only a small number of people would jump to a larger waterproof Kindle. On the contrary I believe it would be a HUGE hit and seller.
I agree. I would love a water proof Oasis!!!!!
I doubt Amazon will release another Kindle anytime soon, perhaps Fire Tablets yes but not E-INK. They have saturated their 6″ lineup and it’s very unlikely a larger Kindle will come out.
However, I can see a new Basic coming out later in the year at perhaps 212 or 300ppi for those that like bolder font’s. I would definitely welcome that, even at 6″ and arounf a $89 price point.
Why do we always want what we can not have.
Be happy Kobo have bought out Waterproof, Sleep friendly and large screen.
I suppose if Amazon did do any of the 3 above it would be over hype, just like Apple product’s are. Enjoy what you have today tomorrow might never come.
I for one do not see the need for a waterproof e-reader. I use wet environments for swimming or cleaning, not for reading. I read in dry environments. For me, a waterproof e-reader is superfluous.
Are any of their Fire Tablets waterproof?
Give me a bigger screen and I will be happy.
Give me one that’s bigger and I can write on and I will be happier
Nope. There aren’t many waterproof tablets.
I do much of my reading on the toilet, so I’m advocating for a self-deodorizing kindle.
I’ll settle for a larger e-ink screen, but it would be nice to have a waterproof feature. I’d feel safer when reading on the beach and I don’t have many physical books that I trust with travel abuse.
The thing that frustrates me is that the Kindle was originally marketed as a, “It’s just like a real book!” device for people who love to read. Amazon’s newest Kindle, the Oasis, is a drastic departure from real books. Books aren’t teeny-tiny and weight nothing. Rather, they are large and actually have some weight to them. I returned my Oasis because it was just too small for my large adult hands. I’d rather read a limited supply of books from a larger/heavier non-Amazon e-Reader (like Kobo) than *not read at all* from a device that I constantly drop and accidentally change the page every 20 seconds(absolutely no grip on the underside and large hands always hitting the screen or the button).
I have been upgrading my kindles for a while. When Amazon brought out the Oasis, I thought, oh man, this is where I stop. Firstly, I think it’s ugly and impractical. And why another 6″ screen? At this point they have been doing 6″ screens for 10 years. There isn’t much they can do to improve on the Voyage for me to consider and upgrade of my Voyage. I think the DX as overkill but a 7 or 8″ e-reader would be a delightful change. For novels with no images the 6″ is fine, but I want to buy e-text-books and those are just too small for a 6″ screen. If they make the Voyage or Oasis or even the Paperwhite waterproof I will be in NO rush to get it. If they do an 8″ screen and make it waterproof it will be a bonus. If they make an 8″ I will get it like yesterday.