There have been extra e-readers launched in 2024 than some other yr in historical past. The biggest corporations on this area, akin to Amazon and Kobo, dominated the headlines. There was numerous new e-paper know-how included in some merchandise that weren’t seen earlier than. What had been the largest e-reader information tales of the yr? There have been tons of them, and Good e-Reader is breaking down essentially the most important.
In our roundup of the largest information tales of the yr, we study the businesses concerned on this area, what they launched, and different information tales about controversies, new initiatives, or digital content material methods. We didn’t contemplate each e-reader launch from each firm, however we primarily centered on the essential ones.
Amazon
Amazon refreshed its Kindle e-reader lineup for the primary time in near 4 years. Within the final couple of months of 2024, the corporate launched the Kindle eleventh Era 2024 in just a few new colours, together with Matcha Inexperienced. The twelfth Era Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Paperwhite Signature Version additionally got here out. The Paperwhite had a brand new coloration, jade, and the Signature Version had Metallic Jade and Metallic Raspberry. The Paperwhites display screen was just a little bit bigger and has 25% sooner web page flips and 20% sooner efficiency, primarily because of the Carta 1300 e-paper show.
The Kindle Scribe additionally obtained a refresh, solely a few years after its preliminary launch. It has a brand new coloration scheme and extra of a ledger design. The {hardware} is similar as the primary era. The revised stylus has a rubber eraser and a fast map button for varied fast duties. The numerous hyping issue was the brand new software program expertise. It has Energetic Canvas, which has changed Sticky Notes when writing on Kindle Books, PDF recordsdata, and Phrase paperwork. There are additionally fast insights by way of AI-powered pocket book summarization. When you’ve got awful writing when utilizing the stylus, it would convert your handwritten notes into one thing extra legible. All of those new options got here to the first-generation Kindle Scribe by way of a software program replace.
The most important Kindle information story of the yr was the primary Amazon coloration e-reader, the Kindle Colorsoft. This had the identical type issue and {hardware} specs because the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Version, with efficiency upgrades, an ambient mild sensor, and quick charging. Amazon employed E INK Kaleido 3 and did one thing utterly new with the show. Amazon says this new system has custom-formulated coatings between the show layers to boost the colour, a lightweight information with micro-deflectors to reduce stray mild, and an ultra-thin coating within the show stack to enhance optical efficiency. They constructed the show on an oxide backplane for sharper distinction and higher picture high quality.
I’m not sure if Amazon rushed the Colorsoft to market and didn’t have sufficient high quality and management, however the first batch had a really pronounced yellow bar or band on the backside of the display screen. On account of client backlash, all main tech blogs picked up on the story. Amazon acquired many returns, and prospects complained that they up to date the product itemizing to tell everybody concerning the concern.
Amazon produced new e-readers just a few months later and issued a software program replace that has since mounted the problem. Though, transport instances are sporadic at greatest. This debacle put the worldwide launch of Colorsoft into Europe and Asia on maintain till they may produce sufficient new items to make sure a profitable rollout.
Rakuten Kobo
Rakuten Kobo had an eventful 2024, with the discharge of a variety of new e-readers. The corporate launched their first coloration e-readers the Libra Coloration and the Kobo Clara Coloration. These gadgets used E INK Kaleido 3 and did one thing distinctive in comparison with the competitors. Each e-reader has a number of gel layers which can be stacked on high of one another. There may be the front-lit show and coloration temperature lighting system, the capacitive touchscreen, Carta, Coloration, and at last, the layer of glass to guard the whole lot. Normally, the colour layer is in the course of the stack, which makes most coloration e-readers look washed out. Kobo put the Kaleido 3 e-paper on the high of the stack, so their colours look manner higher. Additionally they didn’t use glass and as an alternative used a sunken display screen and bezel design.
Not solely did Kobo launch two coloration e-readers, but in addition the Kobo Clara BW, a standard black and white e-reader, for many who didn’t desire a coloration one. The BW is essentially the most inexpensive one at the moment being marketed, however general, the Kobo coloration gadgets are very low cost in comparison with the competitors.
When Kobo introduced all three of their new e-readers, they ensured customers may get worth from them over time. Rakuten and iFixit fashioned a partnership the place screens, batteries, and different inner parts can be found to buy and a sequence of movies had been produced, strolling customers by the restore course of. That is the primary time an e-reader firm has carried out one thing like this.
Kobo Plus expanded into different markets this yr, primarily in Europe. Kobo Plus is a subscription program; customers can subscribe to e-books, audiobooks, or each for a better price. Additionally they added a ton of recent materials, akin to Harry Potter.
Barnes and Noble
Barnes and Noble is the most important bookseller in the US and has lengthy competed towards Amazon and Kobo. Considered one of its aggressive benefits is its 600 bookstores. Customers can strive the Nook e-readers and Android tablets earlier than they purchase. If something goes flawed or they expertise purchaser’s regret, they will shortly return to the shop and get a refund.
The bookseller didn’t launch any new e-book readers in 2024, however they did companion with Lenovo for an Android pill referred to as the Nook Pill 9. What are the main promoting factors of Lenovo’s NOOK Pill 9? It has a big 9-inch show, twin audio system, Dolby Audio, Grayscale, Chromatic & Immersive studying modes, TÜV Rhineland-certified eye safety, and Android 13 with Google Play. It’s also very inexpensive, at round $119.99.
In 2024, Barnes and Noble discontinued the Nook Glowlight 4e, their entry-level e-reader. They now solely promote two e-readers, the Nook Glowlight 4 and the Nook Glowlight Plus. The Plus is their premium e-reader that got here out in 2023 and has a big 7.8-inch e-paper show with a matte display screen protector put in on the manufacturing facility to cut back glare. It’s waterproof and is their first e-book reader with audiobook performance and page-turn buttons to make e-book studying pleasing.
In 2024, Barnes and Noble stopped supporting outdated Nook tablets from 2011-2013. Customers can not connect with the Barnes and Noble Bookstore to purchase digital content material, akin to audiobooks and ebooks. Additionally they received’t be capable of register new accounts or login to present accounts. They’re now thought-about to be paperweights. What Nook pill fashions are actually thought-about EOL? The Nook Coloration, Nook Pill, Nook HD, and Nook HD+. These tablets join the older Nook e-readers which can be additionally EOL, akin to Nook Easy Contact, Nook Easy Contact with Glowlight and the Nook Glowlight.
Barnes and Noble are getting critical concerning the Nook. They’ve invested in new signage promoting the merchandise and have new show stands with all of their newest e-readers and tablets powered on and prepared for potential prospects. This can be a large pivot from just a few years in the past when the Nook couldn’t be marketed in shops and was hidden away by the customer support desk.
Pocketbook
Pocketbook launched a number of e-readers in 2024, most of which had been coloration variants. The Verse Professional Coloration is among the greatest; it has the identical type issue because the Verse and Verse Professional; the one distinction is the Kaleido 3 e-paper show. The Pocketbook Period coloration has the identical type issue as the traditional Pocketbook Period, apart from a Kaleido 3-color e-paper show. What are the main promoting factors? 3. Audiobook assist, built-in speaker, Textual content-to-Speech perform, SMARTlight, IPX8 water safety, and bodily page-turn buttons.
Originally of the yr, Pocketbook dipped its toes within the digital pocket book class to raised compete towards Amazon, Kobo, Boox, and Outstanding in Europe. The Pocketbook Eo Coloration pocket book is operating Google Android 11 and, for the primary time, full entry to the Google Play Retailer. You may learn your entire digital content material in full, vibrant coloration due to the Kaleido 3 e-paper show.
The Pocketbook EO relies on the Bigme InkNote Coloration+, however Pocketbook has made a number of adjustments on the {hardware} and software program degree. The front-facing digicam is gone, and ditto with the pogo pins. You should buy audiobooks and ebooks from the Pocketbook Bookstore, with tabs to allow you to browse. Pocketbook developed its {custom} firmware to make the UI user-friendly for EU and US customers. Within the Notes software, efficiency and handwriting high quality had been optimized. As well as, they reworked some devices to make them carry out higher. Setup wizard, Settings, Notes software, and plenty of different apps had been reworked; as a further studying software, the PocketBook reader app with the PocketBook cloud. The send-by-email function was added. It permits customers to ship word recordsdata to emails with out further logins.
Additionally they launched the InkPad X Professional, which can also be operating Google Android and has entry to the Play Retailer. I like its T10.3-inch E INK Mobius show, which could be very mild.
reMarkable
Outstanding is among the most important success tales within the digital pocket book area. They’ve three generations of tablets and usually launch new {hardware} each three or 4 years. They’ve raised a copious quantity of funding, and their newest era produced is the reMarkable Paper Professional with Coloration Canvas 3.0 e-paper show. Due to the brand new front-lit show, working through the day or evening makes staying productive simpler. Why did they use to include these options? reMarkable has been listening to customers who needed a lighting system and a coloration show to view coloration PDF recordsdata and freehand draw, take notes, and edit paperwork. The very best-selling function? It’s utilizing E INK Gallery 3 and may show over 20,000 colours.
Outstanding is the second firm to make use of Gallery 3 on a industrial product. Nonetheless, reMarkable is the most important and has the potential to go really mainstream. How did the corporate handle to make Gallery 3 work? reMarkable instructed me in a written assertion, “Within the Gallery 3 platform, E Ink gave us the suitable substances for making a novel coloration show. Utilizing that show paper know-how as a basis, our groups have redesigned each a part of reMarkable’s signature paper-like writing expertise, from the Marker tip to the textured show floor to how reMarkable OS, our {custom} working system, behaves. The result’s the Canvas Coloration show, a {custom} show stack that delivers an excellent higher writing expertise than reMarkable 2. Out of the field, Gallery 3 guarantees “an replace time of 30 ms.” On reMarkable 2, it’s 21 ms. On reMarkable Paper Professional, it’s as little as 12 ms.”
Right here and There
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- There have been tons of different e-readers launched through the yr. Probably the most notable was the Bigme Hibreak smartphone with each a coloration mannequin and a black and white one. Onyx ushered in a brand new GO lineup with three new fashions and the fan favourite, Palma 2. Probably the most eagerly anticipated new mannequin is the Boox Be aware Max, a brand new 13.3 e-note. Viwoods continues to enchantment to customers who desire a digital pocket book expertise with the emergence of the AI Be aware and AI Be aware Mini.
- E INK Carta 1300 began to turn out to be a actuality. The Carta 1300 show changed the Carta 1200 display screen in e-readers. The Kobo Clara BW was the primary system to make use of the Carta 1300 show in Could 2024, and Amazon adopted go well with in October 2024 with its black-and-white Kindles. The Carta 1300 show is extra responsive and has sharper textual content.
- The E Ink Kaleido 3 display screen know-how is taken into account to have one of the best coloration show, however colours might seem muted in comparison with a cellphone or pill.
- iFlytek launched their first e-reader aimed toward an English viewers, the AI Be aware.
- The e-reader business is projected to develop from $10.67 billion in 2024 to $18.10 billion by 2032.
- Amazon’s Kindle dominates the e-reader market with a 72% share. Amazon additionally leads the eBook market with 79% of all purchases within the US
- There are many new e-paper know-how coming in 2025, akin to E INK Kaleido 3 Plus, Carta 1300 and 1350 will begin to hit extra merchandise.
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 Publish and the New York Instances have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
