It looks like someone has turned up some pictures of the box for the new 12th generation Kindle Paperwhite that Amazon is expected to release soon (maybe tomorrow).
Update: Amazon has officially released several new Kindles, including a new color model called the Kindle Colorsoft, which is essentially a Paperwhite with a color E Ink screen.
The pictures don’t reveal very much in terms of details, but it looks like it’s going to be another one of those generation upgrades with a few minor changes, like Amazon often likes to do with Kindles.
The back of the box says the 12th gen Kindle Paperwhite has a 7″ glare-free display, so it looks like Amazon is changing from a 6.8″ E Ink screen to a 7″ E Ink screen.
The other details on the back aren’t anything new. It says it has an adjustable warm light, it’s waterproof with an IPX8 rating, and it has “weeks” of battery life. The box also says it has 16GB of storage. All those things are the same as the 11th gen Paperwhite so it looks like the main difference is going to be a slightly larger screen. Maybe it’s going to use a newer screen technology like Carta 1300, but from my experience with the Kobo Clara BW the previous Carta 1200 screens have better contrast so I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not, but Carta 1300 screens are a tiny bit faster so there’s that.
The overall design appears to be mostly the same as the 11th gen model, but the corners look like they’re a little bit more rounded, and it still looks like the power button is located on the lower edge.
There’s also a note on the back of the box toward the bottom that says it comes with a USB-C charging cable, and unfortunately Amazon is still going to be doing the ad-supported nonsense so you’ll have to pay $20 extra to get rid of the screensaver ads. They didn’t do that with the Kindle Scribe so I was hoping they’d move in that direction with other Kindles too, but apparently not.
So now we know partially what to expect with the new Kindle Paperwhite and the new basic Kindle, and once again it doesn’t look like much is going to change. Hopefully the Signature Edition model will get a few more upgrades, and maybe Amazon will get around to releasing color Kindles next year, like the rumors indicate. For now, some minor changes to existing Kindles are likely all we’re going to get.
Here’s the picture of the back of the box:
via: reddit
The Carta 1300 screen on the Scribe looked very good.
Have you compared it to the 11th gen Paperwhite ?
We’ll wait for the video reviews to know more about the 12th gen Paperwhite.
The Scribe has Carta 1200 technology.
I was so sure… But you’re right. Sorry. I’ll go sit in the corner…
This is a bad joke. 0.2″ inches bigger screen as the only difference when Kindle already lacks behind the competition so badly? I really hope people will start switching to Kobo and Boox more, Amazon needs to wake up.
I like the look of the Boox lineup, but it is not an option for me until it‘s clear why exactly they phone home to China all the time.
The power button being on the bottom is such a poor choice 🤣
I’m OK with Amazon not updating much. Helps the competition and hopefully wakes up Kindle-only users to how there are better options out there.
Another disappointing update from Amazon, gone are the days when Amazon really cared enough to give what the customers wanted.
A lot of Kindle development came because it was Bezos’s pet project. I think it’s clear Jassy doesn’t see it in nearly the same way.
The new basic with a now 25% brighter backlight was strike one. This .2 extra inches was strike two. I don’t know what strike three is but it’s coming.
Strike three is the phrase “12th Gen” on the front side of the box instead of the back side.
Amazon: “Here’s more of the same. You keep buying it, so we’re not making any efforts.”
Regardless of the minor changes, I love this brown cardboard box.
I was thinking that this might be part of the reason they are trying to sell out of the old stock, to keep the new units with a new box. All about the marketing.
I am optimistic on this. I have a Paperwhite 6.8 and a Boox Page (7″) and the .2 size difference does feel meaningful. I don’t know if it is a threshold size or what (I use calibre conversion to get rid of margins on kindle). The 6.8 is also way too heavy. If they lower the weight, this would be a great upgrade.
Amazon has likely run out of 6.8″ screens. As the result, they are now using more widely available 7″ screens, and that’s the primary reason behind the introduction of the new model.
At this point I wouldn’t even be surprised if it was the same 6.8″ display, but them just rounding the number up 😅 Amazon is so well known for all the different marketing scams it would almost feel natural…
It’s same device bro. Looks like actual PW5, amazon team needs to work harder. 3 years passed and they came up with +0.2 inch! Yawn
Why should they sweat? They have a captive readership, the vast majority of which cannot switch to other devices. No need to make an effort.
Can new Kindles get any more boring? Amazon: hold my beer.
Page turn buttons
Color option
Maybe next year
Actually
A color device came this year
Along with a new Scribe
Wow. Absolute snoozefest. I guess it doesn’t really matter if you’re Amazon and you don’t really need new customers but it seems like they’re throwing away money by not innovating at all. I get that the store is more profitable than the device for them, but it’s just sad.
It’s nice if you need to replace your current Kindle, I suppose.
Well, the color Kindle is here.
https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/nuevo-kindle-color-scribe-paperwhite-entrada
New Kindle devices are coming out
Scribe and color model
The Verge has a write up
Live in US now.