It’s interesting how much the ebook reader market has changed over the past 5+ years. There used to be a lot of devices with 6-inch E Ink screens, and that was considered the standard size that was most commonly available.
Now there are fewer 6-inch ereaders to choose from, and most that are available today are basic entry-level models with cheap, uninspired designs that lack features offered on larger models.
Good luck trying to find a 6-inch ebook reader with page buttons and a nice 300 ppi screen with adjustable frontlight color. There’s the Nook Glowlight 4 and the PocketBook Verse Pro and that’s about it, and neither can be considered “premium” devices, more like mid-level.
For a long time Amazon only sold Kindles with 6-inch screens until they released the Kindle Oasis 2 in 2017. Before then they were selling the entry-level Kindle, the Kindle Paperwhite, the Kindle Voyage, and the 1st gen Oasis, and all of them had 6-inch screens.
Now the only 6-inch Kindle available is the entry-level model that sells for $99. They finally gave it a higher resolution 300 ppi screen, up from 167 ppi on the previous model, but it still lacks other features like warm lighting, and it has a super basic design that feels like a cheap plastic toy in your hand.
Some of the older 6-inch Kindles were much nicer than the current 6-inch model from a design perspective. Now it’s like they’re using the cheapest plastic they can find. Go back to the Kindle 4. It had a nice metallic finish and didn’t feel like cheap plastic at all, despite costing $20 less than the current Kindle.
Kobo has two 6-inch models available currently, but their entry-level model is so outdated that it’s equivalent to devices they were selling seven years ago. The Kobo Clara 2E is one of the best 6-inch ereaders on the market from a features standpoint, but the cheap plastic design is nothing to write home about, and it isn’t nearly as nice as the design of the Kobo Aura from 2013.
When it comes to 6-inch ereaders in 2023, most are pretty much the same basic rectangle made of cheap plastic, with fewer features and lower resolution screens than larger models. It’s weird that you can’t even buy a nice 6-inch Kindle anymore unless you get an older model like the Kindle Voyage or the first Oasis.
I can think of three reasons. The relentless race to the bottom on price led by Amazon. The higher profit margins on larger multi-function e-ink tablets, which seems to have drawn most of the new product development resources. And the fact that most people’s phones have grown to 6+ inches, which makes a device of similar size but slower and more limited a hard sell just to get the e-ink screen. I still really enjoy a quality 6″ e-ink device like the Voyage or Touch HD3. But I am more and more tempted to just read on my giant 525 ppi OLED phone. The difference isn’t what it was with the phone screens we had when Voyage released.
My phone will never replace my Kindle. The Kindle needs to be charged every other week or so, even when used extensively. My phone needs to be charged every day.
The Kindle kan do only one thing but it does it very well.
Mine probably won’t either. I have used e-ink readers since the PRS-500 in 2006 and the reflective LCD eBookman before that. I love them. But it reminds me of my grandmother who refused to look at a standalone tube TV on top of a piece of furniture, because she had only ever watched one built into a large wooden console.
6 inches on a phone isn’t in the same class as 6 inches on an e-reader due to the dimensions. I struggle reading on my 15 Pro Max because of the narrowness of it. Also margins on a reading apps are not good which only compounds the problem of reading on a Phone. Plus we all know the benefits of reading on e-ink versus OLED/LED.
I think it’s just a general craze of going bigger nowadays. Bigger phones, bigger tablets, bigger devices in general. Where the trend is heading. People correlate bigger with better. Do I want to buy a premium 6 inch Kindle for $150 or a 7 inch paperwhite for $160?
Unfortunately, I don’t see this changing ever again. Amazon needs to rebrand its 6 inch and get the name basic out of its title. As long as they keep the basic name on it, that’s exactly what you’re gonna get, a barebones Basic Kindle. Instead, they just need to rebrand and label it something completely different, give a whole new name like Kindle Haven 6” model for example.
I don’t even get why they need Kindle Basic. It would be easier to simply keep selling new Paperwhite and discounted last-gen Paperwhite instead of making a completely new “Basic” device.
I can read long articles in the browser on my phone with no trouble, but I also feel weird reading a “book” that is just a set of web pages zipped to epub or kfx in a simple browser that pages instead of scrolls on the same device. I wonder why that is and if any future generations without happy childhood memories of being immersed in paperbacks will notice it at all.
I was just thinking along the same lines about how I prefer E Ink for reading ebooks, but when it comes to other content, especially web content, I’d rather use an LCD device. Is it because E Ink is more like paper and I grew up reading paper books? I’m not sure exactly, but it’s kind of weird when you think about it.
Exactly. E-ink looks almost magically good to me until the first time I have to scroll or view images or video. Maybe it’s all psychological or only noticeable by certain people, but it hasn’t changed for me over decades. A new screen technology that looked like e-ink or print but refreshed like LCD would be a dream come true. Add vivid color and I would probably use it for everything. But I’m thankful for the options we have and appreciate your work to keep us informed.
Your third reason is the big one — yes not quite the same — but when many phones are in that 6″+ area — making expensive e-readers in that 6-7″ size range just doesn’t make financial sense.
I think the good news for me is I actually don’t mind the 6″ inexpensive e-readers – they get the job done. Personally, I actually prefer an inexpensive 6″ e-reader than an expensive one.
Imho, 6” are just not enough today. I read on 7” reader and it seems small for me.
I always thought 6″ was on the small side. My second reader improved on it by having a longer screen, the Sony 950 and it felt closer to reading a paperback.
Now, I read on 8″ devices and really love that experience! It feels like the perfect size point for good immersion and handling.
Definitely advantages of both. Larger readers give you more screen real-estate and smaller e-readers are nice for portability.
I feel like inexpensive e-readers are fine to solve the mobility problem. They have everything you need, i.e. the ability to read books — and much prefer using e-readers than phones to read books.