Ever since Amazon announced the Kindle Scribe last September, a surprising number of people have voiced their disappointment in Amazon for not releasing a new Kindle Oasis.
Some people like the larger notebook format of the Kindle Scribe, and others want something smaller with page-turn buttons.
The Kindle Oasis is the last remaining Kindle that has page-turn buttons, and the design dates back to 2017 when Amazon first released the Kindle Oasis 2. The Kindle Oasis 3 was released in 2019, but Amazon just basically added a warm frontlight to the Kindle Oasis 2 so the design has remained unchanged for going on 6 years now. That’s a long time, even by Kindle standards.
At this point I think Amazon is more likely to retire the Kindle Oasis line than come out with a newer version.
First off, now that the Kindle Paperwhite has a 6.8-inch screen, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to have a more expensive Oasis with a marginally larger 7-inch screen. It would make more sense to offer a slightly larger screen in the 8-inch range about halfway between the Paperwhite and the Scribe.
Other ereader companies have already done this so it’s not a stretch to think Amazon will do the same. Kobo has the 8-inch Kobo Sage that supports the Kobo Stylus and Onyx has the 7.8-inch Nova Air that’s basically a smaller version of their Note models.
If Amazon does decide to release an 8-inch Kindle with notetaking capabilities, is seems unlikely they would opt to call it a Kindle Oasis. If it has writing features calling it something with the word Scribe in the name would make more sense, and if Amazon is smart they’ll add page buttons to it to accommodate that segment of the market, and it can still double as a pure ereader like the Oasis, but with notetaking capabilities for those that want those features too.
Some people will hate to see the Kindle Oasis retired, but it’s a relic of a different time. It’s supposed to be a premium Kindle, but it’s the only Kindle that lacks a USB-C port, it doesn’t have wireless charging like the Signature Edition Paperwhite, battery life isn’t that great, the screen doesn’t refresh as cleanly as newer Kindles, and the $250 model has less storage space than the $99 basic Kindle.
It’s time for something new to take the place of the Kindle Oasis. A new mini version of the Kindle Scribe with page buttons and a revamped design could be a nice addition to the Kindle lineup, basically a slightly larger Kindle Oasis with stylus support. That seems like the most logical next step in the evolution of the Kindle line.
Holy moly re: the last paragraph – I would buy it in an instant!
The Kobo Sage was awful – buttons only worked half the time and it had an abysmal battery. Would love to see a Kindle version…!
People said that about the Forma but in the two years I’ve used it I’ve had it not advance a page maybe 3 times? Did you even use the Sage or just pick it up in a store and try to click a couple if times while holding it wrong?
And yet, I love my Sage and feel it is the best e-reader I’ve owned, and I’ve owned quite a few!
The battery life isn’t good if you need to go out in the deep woods with no electric, but where electricity is available, it recharges reasonably quickly and isn’t a problem for reading, though it does drain quickly for extended note taking. However, I rarely do that, I just need to jot down quick thoughts or a few notes here and there, so the Sage is fine.
Just yesterday I jotted off a bunch of notes fast, hit convert and the resulting text was perfect but for ONE single letter. Exported it to Dropbox. I’m old, my handwriting isn’t the greatest either!
That said, I’d certainly be interested in an 8″ Kindle Oasis/mini Scribe, because I DO miss having the warm light on my Oasis 2 and I’d really love to have the larger screen size on my Kindle as well as my Kobo. I don’t really need an Elipsa or Scribe size yet and wouldn’t prefer the heavier weight of either.
I’d still use the Kobo more, but as I do also use my Kindle, it’d be nice to have the improvements. Note taking would be a nice bonus.
Amazon has no device in the mid-size reader range, you’d think they’d want one.
What I miss about my oasis 3 (have paperwhite SE now) is the glass screen, it feels so much more premium than PWSE.. but I too would absolutely buy the Kindle Mini if it was as you describe in last paragraph
I completely agree that an 8 inch Oasis with turn page buttons would seal the deal for me. I’d trade in standard PW 5 I am using to help pay for it.
If it had a stylus I would try it out but I rather type my notes due to my awful handwriting so the stylus would end up in a drawer.
I’m with you on a Kindle Mini since Kobo doesn’t seem too interested in a Kobo Mini 2.0.
I agree with Brian on the glass screen. I still use a Voyage because they haven’t released a screen that looks better yet. If they had added a glass screen to the PWSE it would have been a slam dunk for me.
I love my scribe but it’s too big to take to the beach, so a mini Kindle would be ideal.
Amazon again is missing the point. The whole point of a Kindle is for it to feel like a book in your hands and it’s ideal for bookworms when they are on vacation/ traveling.
The reason the Scribe didn’t sell is because its too big, tablet looking and maybe I’m wrong, but who takes notes? Excuse the phrase that in this case bigger isn’t always better.
You also have to look at the book market like Bookish Goods who sell a book bag that is small in dimension, but big enough to carry the current Kindle and Book Beau who makes cute book sleeves like the BeBe that currently fits the Kindle paperwhite and the Oasis.
Just give the people what they want and update the Oasis. People will buy the premium version, I know I would.
What makes you think the scribe didn’t sell? I think you are projecting your dislike or disappointment over the scribe.
Is Kindle Scribble a good enough name for an 8” device. I’m finally trying out the writing feature on my Nova Air and enjoy it, but it’s a bit cramped.
I would suggest to Amazon to focus on improving of the scribe’s software before attempting to sell a smaller version of it.
I for one would buy an 8″ Scribe in a heartbeat and I already have the 10 inch one… I love my Scribe but smaller size would go a long way towards making it manageable in all situations including vacations, public transportation in the city and easy extended reading sessions!! I don’t care much if they call it the Scribe or the Oasis or something new, i just want it to be premium and have USB-C. And page turn buttons plus a stylus for extra credit. Now make that happen Amazon!!
It seems that the Oasis has been squeezed out of the Amazon product line. If one desires reading, the nearly 7 inch Paperwhite is completely sufficient. If one wants writing also, then the stellar Scribe is there to satisfy the yearning to write.
An 8 inch reader/writing device would seem redundant and superfluous.
If they keep the physical buttons and introduce an 8-inch display, I don’t care if they call it mini Scribe or Oasis X. I will be interested., with or without a stylus I am not interested in the Scribe because the screen is too big for an e-reader and there are no buttons. But they don’t listen to us anyway.
I loved my Oasis 3, dearly, and bought a Scribe more out of morbid curiosity than anything else
Now I love the big screen (and the amazing battery life) so much that I could not for back to a 7inch screen. Something between 8 or 9 would be perfect.
At 9 might as well get the scribe.
9 Inches would be a pretty much 25% smaller device than the 10.2 inches the Scribe has. Not enough difference for amazon, agreed, but the size I’d pick if I could just choose any size.
Nobody seems at all bothered about having a coloured display. I long fir that feature. I even grt it on my iphone kindle ap and it helps
Me choose my next read.
Please listen !!!
An 8″ oasis with turn buttons would be perfect for me
And here I am clinging to my first gen Oasis despite owning the newer model because I love the combination of smaller form and buttons so so much.