New Kindle Reverts to E-Ink Pearl Display, Amazon Updates Product Pages
Amazon currently has three eBook readers in its lineup. In addition to the Kindle Paperwhite and the Voyage, there is also an affordable entry-level device designed to convince skeptics. The slightly outdated touchless interface of the predecessor has been shed with the new basic model, making the new Kindle essentially operate like its two more expensive sibling models.
As a special highlight, the product pages on the international Amazon homepages (Germany, the UK, France…) also mentioned that the Kindle would feature an E-Ink Carta display. This made the ten-euro price increase over the predecessor justifiable, given that it is currently the best E-Paper technology on the market. However, there were also doubts about whether a Carta screen would actually be used, since no mention of it could be found on Amazon’s US homepage. Instead, the site referred to E-Ink Pearl technology, which is familiar from the previous model.
Proven Pearl Technology in the New Basic Model
Now, there’s bad news for those interested in the Kindle because of the Carta technology: Amazon has just corrected all the product pages, removing the reference to the prestigious display technology. Instead, Amazon.de now also states that the Kindle is being shipped with E-Ink Pearl (see image).
Amazon corrects the technical specifications of the Kindle: Now featuring E-Ink Pearl instead of Carta
Aside from that, no other changes seem to have occurred. To my knowledge, Amazon has not communicated the correction of the technical specifications at this point, which would have been appropriate given the significant difference between the two technologies.
With this change, the new Kindle indeed transforms into a stripped-down version of the Kindle Touch, which was available in Germany in 2012 and featured nearly the same specifications. However, the audio function has been removed from the new model, making it lighter. Additionally, the processor is faster. According to customer service, Amazon continues to use an infrared touchscreen, so the screen display should be just as good as in the predecessor without any additional interference from coatings.
All in all, the change dampens my excitement for the new Kindle a bit, as it would have been more attractive with Carta technology—especially at that price. If you want high-end display technology, you still have to pay at least 109 euros for the Kindle (for which you also get excellent lighting included).
