This month, Amazon came out with a big announcement that completely changed its lineup of Kindle e-readers. The Kindle has been around for a long time, and it’s been so successful that it’s practically synonymous with the e-reader itself. There have been many different iterations and a few different versions, but the basic concept has been the same: it’s a device that allows you to conveniently and comfortably read books.
The recent changes, paired with the announcements of newfound accessories, point to a bigger problem for Amazon: The Kindle works too well. It’s a simple device that can and should last for over 10 years, and there’s not really a lot that is needed to keep it going. So what happens when you make a device that’s wonderful, and you want people to keep buying them? The Kindle announcement suggests a worrying thought.
The new lineup features three updated e-readers
A 6-inch pocket Kindle joins a revamped Paperwhite and Colorsoft
Amazon has basically remodeled three different Kindle versions and made them the must-have editions. I don’t know when the older models are going to be discontinued, but the new ones are going to be turned into the models that people are going to need to have.
There is the new basic Kindle, a cute, pocket-sized model that boasts a 6-inch screen and slim design. The Paperwhite and the Colorsoft have been upgraded, with improved construction, screen technology, and battery life. The basic Kindle is offered with an aluminum backing for a stronger, sturdier feel, and two other models are offered in a more expensive Signature Edition that includes that structure as well as compatibility with newfound Kindle accessories.
The front display is now flush, with no difference in level between the screen and the frame. It is as if it’s one seamless piece of tech. The Paperwhite is lighter and thinner while the Colorsoft boasts improved, realistic colors. Each of these iterations also come in a Kids version, which includes a free subscription to Amazon Kids+ along with a more child-friendly cover. The lineup feels more consolidated and indeed improved, but those improvements seem negligible if you already have a Kindle.
The new Kindle accessories are suspicious
What’s more telling about the announcement is the introduction of accessories. There really isn’t a lot you can do with an e-reader when it comes to peripherals. Again, it’s not a smartphone or a gaming console. The Kindle might need a cover, but otherwise, that’s it. The Kindle is about reading, which for many people means disconnecting and getting away from phones and TVs. The new accessories, which include a Bluetooth remote, a page-turn cover, and a docking station, all seem like they are stretching credulity.
I suppose there are some situations when a Bluetooth remote will be handy, helping you turn the page when the Kindle screen isn’t as convenient as a clicker in your hand. A promotional photo suggests this could be useful on a cardio machine at the gym, or maybe in the tub. It’s iffy. But the charging dock seems even more questionable, mainly because the Kindle battery is so long, and it loses power so slowly that I can’t imagine a charging dock ever really being used that much. Especially because the announcement boasted how strong the batteries are on the new models.
Then there is the page-turn cover, which features a pair of physical buttons that turn the pages. There are definitely people who prefer this feature that used to be on the Kindle, but now it’s coming with a huge price tag. The physical buttons are part of a cover that costs $80 and only comes in a single style with three different color options. In order to use this accessory, though, you need the Signature Edition of the Paperwhite, which costs $250, or the Signature Edition of the Colorsoft, which costs $320. That’s a pretty steep price for a couple of buttons.
Kindle improvements and extras aren’t worth it
Amazon is trying hard to increase Kindle sales
All of these improvements seem fine, although you can tell that there is only so much that can be done to better the Kindle. It’s not like a smartphone or a laptop where people are trying to do a bunch of different tasks with them. The Kindle is designed for reading. So, as long as the display is good, and it’s convenient to get around, there are only so many times you can improve on it. It’s not as if recent models were poor either. Chances are you have a Kindle that is working well after years of use.
Kindles don’t really need longer battery lives or more storage. Reading an ebook doesn’t take a lot of power or RAM. Sure, if you’re loading up your Kindle with some massive textbooks with lots of images, you may start to put a dent in the storage, but it’s hard to image you need as much room as a laptop.
The accessories are definitely a stretch, too. It feels like Amazon is trying to come up with things to buy along with the Kindle, but there just aren’t that many ideas out there because the Kindle doesn’t really need anything. The Kindle itself is convenient; a clicker and a charging dock just doesn’t seem that useful for most consumers. And the cover with physical buttons just seems like an insult, taking away a popular feature from years ago only to return it at a premium.
What does the announcement mean?
Consider the new Kindle’s longevity
The announcement is clearly a means to get people excited about Kindles and to create incentive for consumers to buy new ones ahead of the holiday shopping season. But it points to what I think is a bigger problem in that the Kindle has long been a good product and so people aren’t eager to buy new ones. And companies want people to buy new ones. So, in addition to revamping the lineup and introducing superfluous extras that only work with the most expensive versions of the new products, you have to wonder how long the new models will last.
Anecdotally, I had a Kindle lasting for over ten years. You can find many people attesting to lengthy lifespans as well. The first Kindle Amazon put out was supported for nearly 20 years. If a Kindle typically lasts for a long time, repeat purchases are going to be few and far between.
There is no evidence these new Kindles will die sooner, but planned obsolescence, a tactic in which a manufacturer purposefully creates a shorter lifespan for a device so that consumers will, but more often, has been around for over 100 years. Famously, the Phoebus Cartel comprised light bulb manufacturers in the 1920s who coordinated a shorter lifespan for bulbs that were lasting too long and hurt business. There are plenty of examples of this tactic being used in technology as well.
Sometimes it comes in the form of a battery wearing down quickly, or simply services and updated being phased out. So, new Kindles with some nice but unnecessary features come out along with a bunch of accessories that are completely unneeded, and everything has a higher price tag. It’s worth wondering just how long these new Kindles will actually last.
