Amazon unveils its first color Kindle e-reader after years of development

SAN FRANCISCO: Amazon on Wednesday announced its first color Kindle e-reader after years of efforts to bring the most immersive device to market.

The “Kindle Colorsoft” is priced at $280, which compares to similar devices from other manufacturers available on Amazon for $149 to $330. The Colorsoft is based on LED and other technologies to achieve the screen in color, according to a statement from the company.

Amazon had tried in previous years to develop color e-readers using eInk, the technology available in its standard Kindles that requires minimal battery. The Colorsoft will have a battery life of about eight weeks, compared to three months for its latest Paperwhite e-reader.

The Seattle-based retailer also unveiled a new Paperwhite with a 7-inch screen, measured diagonally, two-tenths of an inch larger than the latest generation. It also revealed an updated Kindle Scribe e-reader, which allows users to write on the screen with a stylus and turn it into more legible text.

Notations in users’ notebooks can be summarized using artificial intelligence software that can turn pages of notes into bullet points, the company said.

Amazon remains the market leader in e-readers, with more than three-quarters of the market by some measures. The devices are built to last for years, and the company has said it sells them for close to cost, making money when people buy books or other reading materials.

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted an increase in the use of e-readers, as many libraries remained closed to enforce shelter-in-place policies, but still offered wireless downloads of e-books.

Kindles often go on sale during discount events, such as Prime Day. The Colorsoft will ship to customers on October 30th and the new Scribe will ship on December 4th.