The advent of Kaleido 3 color E Ink display has infused a new level of excitement in the e-paper display segment. Maybe that has to do with the years that we have spent with the monochrome E Ink displays. It has been the same since the advent of the first Kindle way back in 2007. Things remain largely unchanged even with the latest Kindle Paperwhite range, from the display perspective at least save for incremental upgrades for the display performance, contrast, and resolution.

Now Amazon is rumored to launch a new Kindle device, one that is touted to have note taking feature as well. That no doubt is going to be the most radical makeover the Kindle range has ever had though things could further become all the more exciting if Amazon chooses to offer a color display for its upcoming Kindle device.

Also, the reason a color Kindle would be huge is that none of the big three e-reader manufacturers, read Kobo, B&N, along with Amazon have a color e-reader to offer. There has been the Nook Color for a while but that has since long been discontinued. Sure there is a clutch of color e-readers available in the market but one from Amazon will still be huge considering that Kindle has a worldwide appeal unlike any other.

Meanwhile, among the color e-readers currently available, the Onyx Boox Nova Air Color is considered among the best. The Book Nova Air Color comes with a 7.8-inch E INK Kaleido Plus display that can be great for viewing manga or, for that matter, any graphic content. Apart from the excellent display, the other huge positive with the Nova Air Color is the stylus support it comes with. No doubt a similarly specced Kindle will do wonders.

However, while it is true Amazon is yet to officially acknowledge the existence of a color Kindle being in the works, that is almost the next logical evolutionary step for Amazon to undertake if it wishes its Kindle devices to remain in contention for long. As it is, Onyx Boox has already been making waves in the e-reader and e-note segment and have been offering quality devices for quite some time now.

Here is what we believe the future Kindle Color e-reader and/or e-note device could be like.

The display

Kindle has almost become synonymous with E Ink displays and it is all but natural for Amazon to opt for the Kaleido 3 color E Ink display for the Kindle Color device. While it is true the colors still seem washed out but it is still a lot better than the ACeP that we have had in the past. More advanced versions are still being worked upon though Amazon can easily cash in on the popularity of the Kaleido 3 in the meantime, something that Onyx Boox or Pocketbook are already doing with the Nova 3 Color and InkPad Color e-readers respectively.

However, a 7-inch display may not seem enough given that Amazon already has opted for a 6.8-inch panel for its new Paperwhite range. Maybe a 7.8-inch display would make it to the future Kindle Color, which makes it ideal for viewing digital comics without making PDF files look out of place as well. An 8-inch display or so is also big enough for users to make good of that stylus that we believe the future Kindle will come bundled with.

The hardware

A mid-range octa-core processor such as the Snapdragon 662 or the 665 coupled to about 4 gigs of memory might be enough to power the Kindle Color. A 64 GB storage should be enough too though anything bigger than that, like say 128 GB is always better here given that audiobooks typically require larger space. A 2000 mAh battery too should be large enough to sustain operations for several days at a stretch. Among the other bits we’d like to see in the future Kindle Color device include native support for audiobooks along with a USB Type-C port. Wireless charging support would also be a boon.

The software

All Kindle devices run a version of Linux. That is fine so long as it is used just for reading e-books or other digital content. However, with note taking capabilities introduced, the e-readers have their scope greatly enhanced, one that almost stretches into the tablet segment. E Notes such as the Boox Note Air 2 run Android 11 and have Play Store integrated, which means easy access to scores of apps. For Amazon, the best option could be to adapt its Fire OS for operation on e-note devices.

The Fire OS which is based heavily on the Android platform has already been powering its Fire tablet range and is also coupled to its own App store which can be considered a sub-set of the Google Play Store. The same could be best suited to power its future e-note device considering that it can keep the device tied to the Amazon ecosystem, something that forms the bedrock of the company’s business strategy.

The content

With a brilliant color display onboard, one that does justice to all the colorful comics and manga out there, hopefully, Amazon gets its act right with the Comixology app once the Kindle Color becomes a reality. Comixology used to be great so long as it has had an independent existence but Amazon’s move to integrate the same with the Kindle ecosystem put paid to its appeal.

Even the Kindle library too needs an overhaul to make it more inviting and intuitive, one that can store and provides easy access to a more diverse range of content. That likely will include e-books, audiobooks, comics, and so on.

The cost

Amazon no doubt will charge a premium for a Kindle version that breaks new ground in its product line-up. There have also been reports of the company discontinuing its Oasis range. If that is true then maybe the new Kindle Color can take up its place and be similarly priced – around $350 – for the top model. There can be entry-level Kindle Color models with lesser storage priced at around $250. As it is. the usual Amazon marketing strategy is to offer the hardware at a lower price point and later make money from selling e-books or audiobook subscriptions.

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