There was a ton of innovation within the e-reader area in 2017. The second era 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 Exceptional got here out and outlined digital word 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 fast web page flip system was very compelling. This yr, we’ve got taken a step again.
This yr we’ve got seen a variety of e-readers which have already debut or that will likely be launched afterward. The Onyx Boox Notice S is now obtainable 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 inner storage, it isn’t promoting nicely. 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 might need a 5 inch display screen and be low-cost sufficient to be an impulse purchase at Walmart, however 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 yr and permit folks to purchase and hearken to audiobooks on a Kobo e-reader, however they didn’t do it. I assume it’s simpler to simply do the identical factor yr after yr and never innovate.
The one fascinating factor that may happen this yr is the brand new Kindle Paperwhite 4 that may have a shade 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’s essential be subscribed to even use the e-reader, not revolutionary, however fascinating sufficient.
Throughout the early years of the e-reader revolution E Ink was saying new display screen tech yearly. There have been so many firms concerned within the area and everybody was making some huge cash. Ebooks out of the blue grew to become 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 firms like iRex, Cooler Reader, Entourage, Hanvon, Kyobo, Power Sistem and dozens of others both went bankrupt or exited the area fully. There may be solely lower than ten firms on this planet 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 may be one single e-reader utilizing it because it first was introduced in 2015, the Oasis. No one else desires to take the chance 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.
In the present day on the present Michael talks about all the above and the way the smartphone and pill area aren’t precisely transferring ahead, however they don’t seem to be 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.
