Summary
Amazon has announced redesigned Kindle, Paperwhite and Colorsoft models with flush-front displays and edge-to-edge color. The new lineup ranges from a 6-inch Kindle starting at $149.99 to a Colorsoft Signature Edition priced at $319.99.
Amazon has announced redesigned Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Colorsoft e-readers, with a new display construction, flush-front screens and edge-to-edge color across the family. The company says the devices are thinner and lighter than their predecessors, with model-specific changes to lighting, storage, materials and page-turn controls.
A new display design across the lineup
Amazon says the Kindles use a redesigned “reverse stack” display construction, which it describes as a first for the e-reader category. The screens sit flush with the front of each device rather than behind a raised border. Amazon says the new construction required changes to how the display, front light and touch layers are assembled and bonded.
The Colorsoft adds display components intended to improve color and clarity. Its light guide uses nitride LEDs, while micro-deflectors are designed to reduce stray light and improve uniformity. An ultra-thin optical coating is intended to improve clarity. The display also uses an oxide backplane and custom waveforms, which Amazon says support fast performance and higher contrast for both color and black-and-white content. These are manufacturer descriptions of the design and its intended results.
The regular Kindle has a 6-inch display, 16GB of storage and up to six weeks of battery life. Amazon says it opens books 30% faster than the previous release. It starts at $149.99 in Ube and Graphite. A separate version with an aluminum back and 32GB of storage costs $189.99 and comes in Alpine Sky Aluminum and Seaglass Green Aluminum. Amazon says the standard Kindle housing uses recycled materials and a 100% recycled cobalt battery; the aluminum version’s housing is made from 80% recycled aluminum.
Paperwhite, Colorsoft and accessories
The new Paperwhite is waterproof, has adjustable warm light and is rated for up to 12 weeks of battery life. Amazon says its oxide thin-film transistor backplane and larger display deliver the highest contrast ratio among Kindle Paperwhite models. The 16GB version starts at $199.99. The 32GB Signature Edition, priced at $249.99, adds aluminum rear housing, an auto-adjusting front light, pogo-pin dock charging and double-tap page turns.
Colorsoft starts at $289.99 for the 16GB model. Its 32GB Signature Edition costs $319.99 and adds aluminum housing, an auto-adjusting front light, double-tap page turns and pogo-pin dock charging. Amazon describes Colorsoft’s output as paper-like color, aimed at uses such as comics and illustrated guides as well as book covers.
The new accessories include Kindle Click, a $34.99 Bluetooth page-turn remote compatible with the new devices and Kindle models from 2024 or later. A $79.99 Page-Turn Cover adds physical buttons for Paperwhite Signature Edition and Colorsoft Signature Edition, while a $59.99 Charging Dock is designed for those two Signature models. Amazon also announced Kids versions across the lineup, with 12 months of Amazon Kids+ included.
Amazon said the Kindle and aluminum-backed Kindle were available in its listed markets at announcement, while Paperwhite and Colorsoft preorders were beginning on a rolling basis in those markets. The combination of a revised screen assembly and model-specific features gives buyers several distinct options, from a small 6-inch reader to models with color displays and dedicated page-turn accessories.