A few days ago I posted about how the Kindle Voyage is no longer available in several countries from various Amazon websites.
Now we can add Amazon’s US website to the list as well, where the Kindle Voyage is no longer available to purchase new—they only have used and refurbished ones now.
Amazon has also removed the Kindle Voyage from all the Kindle comparison tables and the Kindle family bar at the top of Kindle product pages.
The Kindle Voyage is nearing its 4th birthday this November so it’s not surprising to see it go.
But will Amazon replace it with a second gen model or is this the end of the Kindle Voyage entirely?
It’s kind of odd that they’ve released two Kindle Oasis models in the past two years while the Kindle Voyage has remained unchanged for 4 years.
Looking at the reviews at Amazon the Voyage appears to the be more popular model. It has a 4.2 star rating and both Kindle Oasis models have 4.0 ratings, and both have fewer overall reviews than the Voyage, although the Voyage has been out for a lot longer.
Either way with the Kindle Voyage on the way out it’s a pretty strong indication that a new Kindle model or two will get released later this year.
The 6-inch Kindles are in desperate need of a refresh. The Kindle Paperwhite has had the exact same design for the past six years now, the Kindle Voyage was released 4 years ago, and the entry-level Kindle is still using an old low resolution Pearl screen that everyone else phased out years ago. It’s time for something new in Kindle town.
Here in Brazil, the Kindle Voyage is still available and is on sale.
No more. It’s gone here too.
I didn’t get the voyage, but I was tempted. I had a feeling it was being phased out, which is one reason I held off. I love the Paperwhite, and am hoping for either a new, upgraded model for that…or a new one that is similar. Crossing fingers.
I believe the Kindle voyage has been the best kindle ever released. It has the best screen in my opinion With the best contrast and the sharpest text that just seem to pop out of the screen. The thing that plagued the Viyage however was the unevenly lit display with two tone color hues. I went through many exchanges praying that I would get a decent one but it never hppened. I don’t mind off color screens as much as I hate two-tone screens. I would have easily paid $300 for a perfect voyage, that’s how much I loved it.
I have a feeling November might be there will you stay for the new Kindle. I see the price point at $149
Looks like something will change this year! My hope is that they go large on a Kindle DX size(9.7″…although 8″ would be good) unit and follow the industry trend. Hopefully they will come out with a new unit to replace the Paperwhite and Voyage …with page turn buttons.
If they go large I will probably get one.
I believe it’ll be phased out, as well as the paperwhite. Truthfully there should not be more than 3 E-ink Kindles. A 6”, 7”, and 8” priced at $149, $249, and $349.
The 6 inch version should be just like the paperwhite except smaller bezels, page buttons and comfort light. Same indented screen would be fine.
Both the 7 and 8 inch versions should also provide flush bezels, bluetooth waterproof and more premium hardware.
I believe going this route would satisfy everybody’s needs. After 10 years of Kindle models if somebody decides to go a cheaper route they can always buy a hand me down or secondhand on either eBay or offer up. I’ve Purchased a Kindle PW3 for $30, true story.
On the software end, there should be improvements such as better font sizes, better margins and line spacing.
Another thing I wanted to mention was the fact that a two-year refresh rate would be great. No need to update Kindles every single year, every two years would be a sweet spot. Launch day should be on Prime day With a $20 discount to boost sales and increase volume.
I wish the cell phone makers would do this too. 🙂
The Voyage is a step up from the paperwhite. It is much thinner and lighter and more comfortable to hold, and it’s more comfortable to transfer between hands as well. The backlight of mine is nice and even. I couldn’t ask for a better e-reader. The 6″ size is just right for sliding in a back pocket (encased) and makes that lightness possible.
I keep seeing people ask for larger e-readers, but why? They’re harder to hold comfortably, especially over time.
This is exactly how I feel about Voyage. If you want a larger screen, get a Fire tablet😁
You know of e-ink fire tablets? Please share this information.
You’re lucky you have a nice voyage, that’s what I thought too until I compared it to more evenly lit readers. Whatever you do don’t compare them side-by-side. If you were happy just stick with it as the voyage is a very nice e-reader. I could never get one with an evenly lit display even after 4 years of exchanges
I think the opposite. It is one of the hardest to hold. It’s all angular with hard corners and a slippery surface. It’s too thin causing hand cramps. The Voyage looks sleek but is not ergonomically well designed. While the PW is way too heavy compared to pretty much all other modern ereaders, the rubberized grip and wide bezels make it easy to grip and hold for extended periods of time.
My Kobo Aura H2O Ed. 2 and my Kindle Oasis 2 are both much more comfortable to hold than the Voyage because again they are ergonomically better designed and their weight and overall size are more comparable to the Paperwhite despite the larger screen and are certainly not as big and heavy as you might think.
Something that disturbs me about Amazon is their absolute inconsistency with Kindle release dates. Ever year its a different month while some models haven’t received updated in 6 years such as the Paperwhite or 4 years such as the Kindle Voyage. Some models get phased out after one version such as the 6″ Oasis and perhaps Voyage and yet some models are repackaged for 6 years in a row such as the Paperwhite. It’s frustrating. They need to show more consistency with their release dates and models. Like everyone knows that Samsung releases their new phones either in February or March every year and Apple announces iPhones every September. Why can’t Amazon do this?
Just check out the inconsistency with Kindles:
Kindle (1st generation) released in November 2007
Kindle (2nd generation) released in February 2009
Kindle (DX) released in May 2009
Kindle (DX Graphite) released in June 2010
Kindle (3rd generation) released in August 2010
Kindle (4th generation) released in September 2011
Kindle Touch released in November 2011
Kindle (5th generation) released in September 2012
Kindle Paperwhite 1 was released in October 2012
Kindle Paperwhite 2 was released on September 2013
Kindle Voyage was released in November 2014
Kindle Paperwhite 3 was released in June 2015
Kindle Oasis was released in April 2016
Kindle Oasis 7″ was releasd in October 2017
No, how about I ignore your criticism of my preferences and I will buy a larger e-reader. It’s a real thing now, you know, even in the Kindle line.
This seems like exactly the kind of thing a data driven company would do to me.
Revenue forecasting is not farming. It’s not driven by the time of year. It’s driven by marketing data.
Why feel so frustrated? If you need a new Kindle, don’t wait. With any technology there is always something new around the corner.
I never really liked the Voyage and gave it to my 86 year old mother. I do have to say that every time I have to help her with her book I am always startled at how beautiful and clear the screen is. I would want the larger reader – 8 or 9 inch e-ink. I absolutely love reading on the Kobo Aura One. It is light and thin enough to be comfortable for long reading sessions. If Kobo can succeed in that – Amazon should be able to also. It is about time for one.