digging into a cutting-edge e-reader to examine how the newest E Ink screen technology compares. Unfortunately, E Ink screens progress at a leisurely pace, which implies that e-reader producers like Rakuten and Amazon must wait for this technology to materialize before they can develop new e-reader models incorporating it. In the case of Rakuten, with its Kobo devices, it generally releases new e-reader models every two or three years, and while Amazon’s Kindle series dominates with 72% of the market share in the US, its timeline for new hardware is quite similar at roughly three years. We recently witnessed the majority of the Kindle series being updated in late 2024, indicating that we still have at least another year before any new Paperwhite models appear on the market.
However, this doesn’t imply that Amazon won’t introduce a new Kindle model this year, as the non-frontlit Scribe (also restricted to black and white) is expected to arrive early in 2026, so it may come at any time. Nevertheless, if you’ve been holding out to purchase a new Kindle specifically for e-reading instead of note-taking, hoping that a new model will be released featuring a (yet-to-be-revealed) next-gen Carta 1400 screen, it seems that discussions on Reddit are currently suggesting this technology will debut in 2027. Considering that Carta 1300 was launched in 2023 and Kindle released versions utilizing the technology in 2024, those current projections align with past timelines.
In summary, it’s improbable that we will witness any new e-reader-centric Kindles with an updated Carta E Ink screen this year. This means if you’re presently looking for a new Kindle e-reader, you’ll be best off making a purchase today, as what is currently offered remains the latest and finest e-reading hardware available and