With Pocketbook releasing the new Era Lite with a 7″ black-and-white E Ink Carta 1300 screen, I can’t help but notice it’s exactly what Kobo customers have been asking Kobo to release for the past 2 years. It highlights the fact that Kobo still isn’t listening to what their customers want by refusing to release a new Libra BW to counterbalance their Libra Colour.
Kobo is the only ereader company that sells a 7″ color model without offering a black-and-white equivalent. Pocketbook now sells two BW 7″ Era models to complement the Era Color. Amazon sells the Paperwhite alongside the Colorsoft. And Onyx and Bigme both sell 7″ BW models as alternatives to their 7″ color models.
So why is Kobo the only one that refuses to release a 7″ BW model?
It’s been over two years since they released the Kobo Libra Colour, while inexplicably discontinuing the very popular Libra 2 with a BW screen. They could’ve just kept selling it and people would’ve been happy to buy it, but no, they had to force people to buy the color version instead if they wanted page buttons and a 7″ screen.
Kobo only sells one 6″ BW ereader now, the Kobo Clara BW, and one BW 10″ eNote called the Kobo Elipsa 2E. They’ve been reusing the same basic design on the Clara since 2018, and the Elipsa 2E is outdated and overpriced compared to similar eNotes, which isn’t surprising since it was released over 3 years ago.
Yet Kobo seems content with their current lineup of ereaders. There are no signs of any new models coming out in 2026, and they seem happy to stick with the Libra Colour and the two Clara models moving forward. They’re still advertising the 8″ Kobo Sage on their website, despite the fact it hasn’t been available to purchase for over a year now.
I know some people are still hoping for a Libra BW to get released, but after two full years it’s time to accept the fact that Kobo just doesn’t care. I still think they must have some kind of agreement with E Ink to push color screens at a discount because Kobo usually listens to what their customers want to some extent, but it’s like they’re going out of their way to ignore requests for a 7″ Libra BW. Something just doesn’t add up about that. There’s no reason why Kobo’s ereader lineup shouldn’t be more diverse.
Seems they could learn something from Coca-Cola. Admit you made a mistake and bring back the 7″ Libra BW. Coke’s mistake made then millions.
Color e-readers feel like a solution searching for a problem. TVs needed color because entertainment depends on immersion. Movies, sports, and animation came alive because of it. But books are different. Most people reading novels do not need muted pastel colors bleeding into a gray background just to turn pages.
The industry is pushing color because companies need a new selling point, not because monochrome reading was broken. And once Amazon fully commits to color in the Kindle Paperwhite line, the rest of the market will blindly follow.
That is why I bought multiple Kobo Libra 2 devices before they disappeared. Two years later, I still feel validated. Aside from minor lag, there is almost nothing modern e-readers offer that improves the actual reading experience. In many ways, they are making it worse.
I do not want thinner contrast, duller blacks, or compromised clarity just so menus and book covers can display washed-out colors. I would take crisp monochrome text over gimmicky color every single time.
And flush screens are another downgrade disguised as progress. I do not care how premium they look in marketing photos. Indented screens still deliver better contrast, sharper text, and more consistent lighting. Companies keep chasing features while slowly destroying the thing that made e-readers great in the first place.
I couldn’t have said it better myself. Frontlights are another downgrade that people don’t realize. Back in the early days E Ink screens had a clearer quality without the light layer clouding up the screen, despite the lower resolution.
Absolutely. It started with just e-ink display, then they added light, flush screen, touch, colour e-ink, wacom layer or similar for notes, they’re just adding things over the display and it’s just not pleasant for reading anymore. My partner tried multiple readers and ended up buying old Kindle keyboard for day and new Kindle basic for night. He just couldn’t stand reading on anything flushed or with warm light.
Frontlights are a must-have for many people these days. It certainly is for me – I never read with the light off, no matter how bright the ambient light, and I wouldn’t want to use an ereader with no frontlight. Warm light is also a must-have for me, not in daylight, but certainly in artificial light.
I don’t want color, and I don’t really need a touchscreen either. Flush screen is a matter of total indifference to me – I can read equally well on a recessed or on a flush screen.
As with everything, people have different priorities and preferences re the ereader features. I’m sure there are lots of people who want color too. Comic readers come to mind, for example.
I completely agree with this. I never, ever turn on the frontlight on my Kobo. On the Kindle (PW3), unfortunately it is still on on the lowest setting. I would dearly love a Kobo with no frontlight!
The frontlight has more pros than cons so it’s absolutely worth having. The touchscreen itself could’ve been solved with IR touch, but I could easily give that up entirely.
I’m really glad that I kept my BW Libra when I bought the Libra Colour. As far as ereader size is concerned, I love PocketBook’s 7.8” inkpad 3 Color. I wish Amazon and Kobo would offer this size.
I think the reason Kobo hasn’t released a 7” Libra BW is that they don’t think it makes financial sense for them to do so. And they might be right.
People disappointed Kobo doesn’t offer a 7” eReader will do any of the following:
– Buy another Kobo
– Buy a non-Kobo eReader, and purchase books from Kobo to sideload onto it
– Buy books from Kobo to read with a Kobo app
– Leave the Kobo ecosystem
Kobo only needs to be concerned with people choosing the last option, as they probably don’t make much money on hardware sales. And my guess is that an insignificant number of customers left Kobo with the demise of the Libra 2. If many had gone elsewhere, Kobo’s digital content sales would have taken a significant hit, and Kobo would have released a Libra BW by now.
I just gave up on Kobo. People call for bw Libra, people call for send to Kobo, but Kobo just doesn’t care. So I don’t care either. I used to buy multiple books every week via Kobo, now I don’t buy anything from them. I don’t want to support a company that doesn’t care about their customers.
I bought a Libra 2 BW refurb from Kobo, quite some time ago ; it works flawlessly. They are still selling them for around $200 usd . They seem to be available . Mine has been updated for the remote , I have no need for one, I do all of my reading on this Libra 2 , Recommended
AW
I need a new Kobo, but I want something similar in screen size to my current one (Aura H2O) – which is the Libra.
However, I HATE the colour Libra. It’s so dark and I just don’t have any use for colour when I read black on white text all the time. But I would love an ereader with buttons, that can rotate and use a stylus and is black and white. They are completely shooting themselves in the foot by not offering a BW Libra. I’m considering other brands now.