If you've been waiting for the release of a new Kindle e-reader before buying one in 2023, you're in for a disappointment. Amazon doesn't look set to release a new e-reader before the end of the year!
Amazon unveiled its new products at a conference held at the end of September 2023. These new products include new Echo connected speakers and Fire TVs, but nothing about a new Kindle e-reader.
Kindle e-readers: a consistent range in 2023
Since the late 2022 release of the Kindle Scribe, Amazon has not added a new e-reader to its range.
The Kindle e-readers proposed by Amazon for the end of 2023 are therefore these:
| Kindle Scribe | Kindle Oasis | Kindle Paperwhite | Kindle | |
| Image |  |  |  |  |
| Screen size | 10.2" | 7" | 6.8" | 6" |
| Resolution | 1860 x 2480 pixels | 1680 x 1264 pixels | 1680 x 1264 pixels | 1448 x 1072 pixels |
| Color | No | No | No | No |
| Backlight | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Waterproof | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Storage | 16 - 64 GB | 8 - 32 GB | 8 - 32 GB | 16 GB |
| Pen / Stylus | Yes | No | No | No |
| SD card | No | No | No | No |
| Ebook formats | Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, MOBI unprotected, PRC ; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, EPUB (converted) | Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, MOBI unprotected, PRC ; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP converti, EPUB (converted) | Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, EPUB (converted), MOBI, PRC; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP | Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, EPUB, MOBI, PRC; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP |
| Blue light filter | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Other | Compatible with Microsoft Office Doc and Docx format (Word software) | Black or Blue color | ||
| Review | Expensive eReader with large screen. A device better suited for work as a note taking device ⭐⭐⭐ | Overall good eReader but too expensive now that there is better alternative in the Kindle lineup⭐⭐⭐ | Best value for the money Kindle eReader⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Very good ereader at a good price ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Link (where to buy?) | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com |
Apart from the Kindle Oasis, which is starting to show its age, the Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite e-readers are fairly recent and well positioned in relation to the competition.
The most affordable e-reader is the Kindle, with its 6-inch touch screen and lighting. This e-reader has been available since October 2022 and is therefore a recent model.
Kindle
6" e-reader - 1448 x 1072 pixels e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, EPUB, MOBI, PRC; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP
Although it lacks a blue-light filter, it's still a good reader, with a fast screen and Amazon services like Prime Reading.
Even if it's technically inferior to more recent readers like the Pocketbook Verse, with a price tag of around $100, the basic Kindle is very well placed in relation to the Kobo Nia - which is showing its age.
If you're on a budget, the Kindle Paperwhite offers excellent value for money, thanks to its large 6.8-inch screen and waterproofing (while remaining compatible with the Kindle services mentioned above).
Kindle Paperwhite
6.8" e-reader - 1680 x 1264 pixels e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, EPUB (converted), MOBI, PRC; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP
This e-reader has been available since autumn 2021, so it's only been on the market for 2 years.
So, putting aside the Kindle Oasis, which faces serious competition from the Pocketbook InkPad 4 (review here) and the Kobo Sage, the Kindle range of e-readers is quite relevant.
Will the Kindle Oasis be renewed in 2023?
That leaves the Kindle Oasis, which may be replaced by a new model in 2023.
The Kindle Oasis is still a very decent machine, but it seems a little dated today.
In particular, its micro-USB charging port poses a problem, despite the fact that USB-C has become the standard for faster, more reliable e-reader searching over the past 2 years.
The Kindle Oasis could also benefit from a new-generation e-ink screen with a faster refresh rate. But this gain would be marginal and hardly noticeable to the untrained user.
So I don't think a new version of the Kindle Oasis will be announced this year, since Amazon's engineers seem to have concentrated on the Kindle Scribe and its software updates.
But I could be wrong.
