Amazon has announced the launch of its first color e-reader, the ‘Kindle Colorsoft,’ marking a significant milestone after years of development efforts.
The new device, priced at $280, enters a competitive market where similar products from other manufacturers range from $149 to $330.
The Colorsoft utilizes LEDs and advanced technology to deliver its color display, according to the company. In contrast to Amazon’s traditional e-readers that use eInk technology, which is known for its energy efficiency, the Colorsoft boasts an estimated battery life of about eight weeks. This is shorter than the up to three months offered by the latest generation of the Kindle Paperwhite.
In addition to the Colorsoft, Amazon introduced a new Paperwhite e-reader featuring a 7-inch diagonal screen—two-tenths of an inch larger than the previous model. The company also updated the Kindle Scribe, which allows users to write on the screen with a stylus and convert their notes into more legible text.
Notably, the Scribe can utilize artificial intelligence to summarize users’ in-book notes, turning pages of handwritten annotations into concise bullet points.
Amazon remains the dominant player in the e-reader market, holding more than 75% of the share. The company has indicated that it sells its devices close to cost, profiting instead from the sale of books and other reading materials.
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly boosted e-reader sales, as many libraries closed their physical locations but continued to offer e-book downloads.
The Kindle Colorsoft will begin shipping to customers on October 30, while the updated Scribe is set to ship on December 4.
