As 2024 approaches, it’s hard not to be disappointed with Amazon’s current lineup of Kindles, especially when you compare them to what other companies now offer.
The fact that Amazon now only sells one Kindle model that I would want to use long-term (the Kindle Paperwhite) is pretty sad, and frankly I still prefer the Kindle Voyage from 2014 over the Paperwhite because of the page-button senors and the clearer screen. That’s one of the problems with Kindles—newer doesn’t mean better.
I think the current entry-level Kindle is a decent product for the price, but for me personally I’d never want to use it as my main ereader. It just feels too much like a cheap plastic toy; there are much nicer devices out there from other companies. If I’m going to use something all the time I don’t want the cheapest device possible; I’d rather pay a little more for something nicer. That’s a trend with Amazon’s other products as well—they’d rather sell something cheap than something nice. I could see them coming to a point in the future where they only sell cheap Kindles.
I really like the Kindle Scribe and think it’s vastly underrated for the price, but even still it’s not something I’d want to use as my main go-everywhere ereader because it’s simply too large and too heavy.
Now that the Kindle Oasis is being phased out, a lot of people say they won’t buy another Kindle without page buttons. We’re going on five years since Amazon last released a Kindle with page buttons so it’s not looking good on that front—the Oasis might be the last.
Amazon clearly doesn’t care about Kindle ereaders as much as they used to when new models were getting released every year, and when they do release new models the upgrades are often minimal and nonsensical (adding more storage space is just silly at this point when it’s virtually impossible to read more than 8GB of ebooks within the lifespan of a Kindle, but most people are convinced more storage space is better and worth paying extra for so Amazon loves to take advantage of that notion instead of offering upgrades that are actually useful).
The way B&N has handled their Nook ereaders should be a cautionary tale for other companies because almost nobody cares about Nooks anymore, and they were once a legit contender to Kindles.
It wouldn’t take a lot for Kindles to become as unliked as Nooks. A few more questionable moves by Amazon could send people to other platforms in droves, especially when other companies offer nicer devices with more features that aren’t locked into a single store. If it’s a race to the bottom Amazon will win, but at some point people are bound to realize cheaper isn’t better.
I’ve definitely seen a decline in the Kindle product, and its marketing, without Bezos as CEO. It was well-known that Kindle was his passion project. It’s clear to see now that once he left the day-to-day operation, so did its biggest supporter within the company.
I’m unable to flatly say I agree or disagree, as a whole…because you make some different points. Although I do agree with how great the Voyage is/was, I’d have to say that the Paperwhite is pretty perfect. And, if that was the last Kindle ever available, I’d be pretty happy.
that being said… having an updated Voyage, or Oasis, with well-integrated page turn buttons would be very appealing.
Hell… OK…. if they took the Voyage, made it a little bigger, add warm light (unless that is what hurts clarity)and swap out the Micro USB… that would be a great ereader. I would buy that over the Paperwhite.
Why they didn’t continue with that design – Sleeak angular frame, with the power button in the perfect spot, is beyond me.
OK… I feel like I just flip flopped.
UPDATE: Without a current version of the Kindle Voyage, the “Paperwhite is pretty perfect”.
Overall, I’d be devastated if they abandoned the kindles…. Because a good Onyx device is still too expensive for me.
I believe the etched cover glass is the primary reason the Voyage is so crisp, so warm backlighting wouldn’t affect that. That said, etched glass is more expensive, and the fact that neither the Oasis nor Scribe have it makes me doubtful that Amazon will ever use it again.
Unfortunately, the Kindle lineup seems to be going the way of the Fire tablet…a disposable, replaceable widget that is ok for many, but no great legacy devices that you really want to keep; an executive decision. It is doubtful that Amazon will choose to lead this field…they easily could with the opportunities of scale they possess(they can lock down tech with ease).
My hope is a Kobo or a Onyx, etc. will find a way to push the boundaries enough to actually challenge Amazon in some way, to break the logjam on good devices.
They are coming; screen advances are still occurring.
I fear Kindles will follow the path of Fire tablets too. They used to be a lot nicer years ago, and now they’re just the cheapest junk that Amazon can make, with the exception of the new Fire 11. I used to like Fire tablets when they had nice screens and nice designs but now I wouldn’t use one if it was free.
I was a Kobo user and I recently move to Kindle with the PaperWhite. I had a Kobo Libra 2. Why the change? I read one-handed at night, mostly. The Kobo is a bit heavier than the first Libra and it shows after a while. My thumb was getting numb on the page button.
What I like about the PaperWhite : it’s lighter. I like the page turning effect. I like to have the clock on top. I bought a strap, so I can hold my Kindle effortlessly. The screen is much whiter than the Kobo.
I use Calibre to sideload my books, same as I did with Kobo, but I convert them to KFX instead of Kpub.
What I don’t like about Kindle? Unlike the Kobo, metadatas are no use. You have to link your KFX to an existing Kindle version on Amazon of your country. I have books from all over, and not all are on Amazon. Some people say that sideloaded books are disappearing from their Kindle. It hasn’t happened to met yet. That said, managing my Kobo was easier with Calibre and I miss that part. But I prefer to read on my Kindle.
I wouldn’t say “into the ground”, but they are basically Fire quality already. That works for Amazon’s business model, and many readers will continue to enjoy them. I’m an enthusiast. I loved the old Lab126 and bought maybe a a dozen Kindles over the years. Now I mostly use Pocketbook. They are far from perfect., but they are still trying to push the technology forward and work well enough for my use. I’d love to see Nook make a comeback with a device as good as the original Simple Touch was for its time. Or a new Sony. Onyx is like Microsoft or nuclear fusion. Always something great right around the corner, but never quite getting there.
I loved the voyage – until the charging port quit. I currently use the Signature edition. Based on my reading habits, I have never wanted an OASIS. The wide bezel is annoying; I read in bed and the wide side screws that up. With the Signature/Paperwhite, while in bed I hold it in my right hand and turn pages with the swipe of my thumb. I do not want page buttons. I’ve never liked them. I do everything with one hand. I also read a minimum of 8 hours/day (I’m retired), so using a tablet is hard on my eyes.
The Nook was my first ereader. I loved it. But Amazon had more book variety AND a Nook can’t borrow library books (I’m not going to sideload). I have 2 older Nooks; B&N has notified us that older nooks will no longer be able to download books – and oh yeah, we can buy a new one. I have around 1000 Nook books, most in the cloud. I don’t see myself downloading them. I’ve looked to see if there’s a way to download them with one push of the button, but haven’t found a way.
I still have a working Voyage, a Paperwhite SE, and an Oasis 3. I find the Oasis better in bed because it’s easier to operate one-handed and is lighter. My Paperwhite is nice for my reading chair and my Voyage I take to the mall to read while my spouse shops. It’s more pocketable.
If Amazon sucomes to greed and screws the pooch on the Kindles, I have all my de-DRMed books safely ensconced in my Calibre database waiting to sideload to another line of ereaders. I don’t like to read on LCD tablets.
I abandoned Kindles when Kobo came out with two new buttoned devices (the Sage and the Libra 2) in 2021, while Amazon released the latest disappointing Paperwhite (no buttons, boring rectangular design, only 6.8” screen) and didn’t upgrade the Oasis. I was never a particular fan of the Voyage (the contrast was great, but I didn’t like the ergonomics or the haptic buttons), but a 7-8″ Voyage with warm light would certainly be preferable to the current Paperwhite.
If Amazon really abandoned Kindles, I wouldn’t shed any tears as I no longer use them, but it would sure be a pretty serious blow from the competition angle. Kobo and others would probably lose much of their incentive to improve their devices, and that would be a real pity.
No matter how bad the hardware is in comparison to other reader devices, as long as they have the current lock in on content/authors, it will be difficult for (some) people to go elsewhere. If you only tend to read big name authors you may not have an issue, but I’ve encountered numerous authors on the indie and self-published end of the spectrum that only release on Kindle due to various incentives that Amazon provide.
IMO Amazon will never abandon Kindles, as these imprison their users in Amazon’s ecosystem and force them to buy books from them. But I wouldn’t be surprised if only Basic and Paperwhite stayed and everything else got cancelled. For me that would mean no more Kindles. I consider Paperwhite the least appealing ereader out there and I couldn’t force myself to use it.
While my Oasis is my favorite, My Paperwhite is pretty decent and lets me immerse myself into my books. It doesn’t deserve all the hate. Now the basic model… that does.
Nooks are still my favorite for ereader hardware. But I get my most of books from Kobo and the library. I only use my Oasis 2 for Kindle Unlimited. I think I’d be happier with a Paperwhite though.
3 years ago, I would have agreed with you 100%. The Paperwhite 4 was hot garbage and I despised the Oasis design.
The recent Paperwhite 5 is a dramatic upgrade. I love the improved contrast screen, the bigger screen, and the symmetrical design. I also like the fact it isn’t slippery like the Oasis.
I also like having the option of more storage.
I also love the Kindle Scribe. What a fantastic deal for the money; 300 PPI screen and 64GB for only $275 on sale. Breathtaking.
I hope Amazon keeps up the good work, after the dark times of 2016-2021.
I love the Voyage also. I wish Amazon had made a Voyage 2, with a bigger screen. Alas, the Kindle Dark Ages came after that, until the latest Paperwhite and Scribe resurrected Kindle from the dead.
I’d also like to see Amazon buy out Boox. Just imagine Boox software on Amazon hardware. 🙂
The Paperwhite 5 is a nice device, but I do wish they would’ve used a glass front layer instead of a cheaper fingerprint-prone plastic front layer. The screen would look even better without the plastic.
I really like the Scribe too, like I mentioned, but I fear we’ll never see a second generation model with the constant sales and low number of overall reviews, both indicators of it not selling very well. The Scribe got a bad reputation after they released it with half-finished software, and I think it’s been hard to change people’s opinions on it since then.
For me 2016-2019 were the Golden Age of Kindles, as I loved the Oasis design and dislike the symmetrical ereaders. After 2019 the Kindle line became dead for me and I no longer like their software either, because other brands have better, more customizable UI.
No more Kindles for me, unless Amazon releases a bigger, better Oasis.
I would totally buy a new Oasis if it was cheaper, made in plastic with a rubber back.
They have been doing it for a while. The only Kindle currently available that I can use is the Oasis, and they seem to be phasing it out. I don’t understand the enthusiasm for the Paperwhite. I like to have physical buttons, and the screen is a bit on the small side for me. The Scribe may be good for note taking, but I take notes when I read professional literature, which I read on a nice tablet because it is more convenient. I would never choose the Scribe as an e-reader because it is too big and lacks physical buttons. So, as far as I am concerned, Amazon has already run its Kindles to the ground.
I agree with you 100%. Those reasons are why I ditched Kindles altogether in 2021.
If all or most of the people that worked on innovative Kindle products were fired, then I guess it will be inevitable that we see the Kindle line of products fizzle away little by little.
What you will get is some minor changes like modelses with more RAM, regular tweaking of the home page, etc.
After a while that would mean that the Kindles are lagging completely behind the competition, which has already had colour screens and a myriad of scrreen sizes for quite a while now.
Seems like Amazon is more focused on becoming an advertising company nowadays. The focus has shifted from fire tablets and kindles to echos and Firestick and give it to you at the cheapest possible price in order to bombard with debilitating advertisements at every turn.
Echo Dot
Echo Show
Echo Buds
Echo Auto
None of these products are premium products. They’re cheap just enough to get people to buy them so they can bombard you with advertisements.
Yep, seems so. I got an email the other day saying they’re going to start adding advertisements to Prime videos now too.