There was a ton of innovation within the e-reader enviornment in 2017. The second technology Kindle Oasis got here out and was the primary e-reader that had the Audible bookstore and Bluetooth to pay attention with wi-fi audio system. The Outstanding got here out and outlined digital be aware taking and the startup was so profitable that it spawned a really aggressive area the place many individuals had been vying on your wallets and a spotlight. The Aura One Restricted Version was launched and since no Kobo has an SD card anymore, a 32GB mannequin that featured a brand new speedy web page flip system was very compelling. This 12 months, we’ve got taken a step again.
This 12 months we’ve got seen quite a few e-readers which have already debut or that can be launched afterward. The Onyx Boox Be aware S is now accessible and as an alternative of utilizing a ten.3 inch display screen they determined to make use of a 9.7 one and halve the battery life, RAM and inside storage, it isn’t promoting effectively. Sony launched their 10.3 inch model of the Digital Paper, however up to now it has been actually underwhelming when it comes to efficiency. I had excessive hopes for the Clara HD, I assumed it may need a 5 inch display screen and be low-cost sufficient to be an impulse purchase at Walmart, nevertheless it was merely one other six inch e-reader with a Comfortlight and price over $100. I assumed Kobo on the very least ought to leverage the audiobook retailer they opened final 12 months and permit folks to purchase and hearken to audiobooks on a Kobo e-reader, however they didn’t do it. I suppose it’s simpler to simply do the identical factor 12 months after 12 months and never innovate.
The one fascinating factor that may happen this 12 months is the brand new Kindle Paperwhite 4 that may have a colour temperature lighting system and Bluetooth for audiobooks. Storytel goes to launch their first e-reader that’s tied to their limitless audiobook and e book subscription service, it is advisable to be subscribed to even use the e-reader, not progressive, however fascinating sufficient.
In the course of the early years of the e-reader revolution E Ink was saying new display screen tech yearly. There have been so many corporations concerned within the area and everybody was making some huge cash. Ebooks abruptly turned an enormous factor and publishers had been seeing double digit progress each single quarter. Round 2013-2014 nearly each epaper competitor was out of enterprise or simply making prototype shows, such because the Japan Show 500 PPI display screen. E-Reader corporations like iRex, Cooler Reader, Entourage, Hanvon, Kyobo, Vitality Sistem and dozens of others both went bankrupt or exited the area fully. There may be solely lower than ten corporations on the earth making e-readers and making a residing from it. There was no new E Ink show in 5 years and the one new processor to make e-readers sooner is the IMX7 twin core, however there’s one single e-reader utilizing it because it first was introduced in 2015, the Oasis. No one else desires to take the danger of utilizing it and paying excessive growth charges to include all the brand new options into their working system, its simpler simply to do the identical factor yearly.
At present on the present Michael talks about all the above and the way the smartphone and pill area should not precisely shifting ahead, however they aren’t taking a step again in design and innovation.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the previous fifteen years. Newspapers and web sites such because the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Submit and the New York Occasions have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
