Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite is one of the top-selling e-readers on the market, and it’s also one of the best. New reports claim that Amazon’s book reading device is set for an upgrade next year that’s going to make it a whole lot better.
Sources that spoke to TechCrunch say that Amazon is going to introduce a new Kindle Paperwhite in the second quarter or 2014 that features a higher-resolution display. It’s said to be a 300ppi panel, which is a substantial leap over the current generation Paperwhite at 212ppi. It’s also good enough to dethrone the current e-reader resolution king, the Kobo Aura HD. The Kobo’s 1440 x 1080 panel gives it a pixel density of 265ppi.
Amazon is also retooling the Kindle software, and the updated screen will be complemented by improved fonts. The typefaces need to be re-tuned to take full advantage of the 300ppi display, after all. It’s also believed that Amazon is using a glass panel on the front of the new Kindle Paperwhite instead of good ol ‘plastic.
One other hardware tweak will make it less awkward to change pages. The sides of the new 2014 Paperwhite are said to double as buttons. Give the right edge a squeeze and you can flip to the next page (or the left to go back) without adjusting your grip. They’ll provide a brief buzz of haptic feedback to let you know your input has registered, too.
Is Amazon a little late to the game when it comes to the upping the Kindle’s resolution? Sure, but as the name in e-readers, Amazon certainly didn’t need to rush out a response to the Aura HD.
When Kobo launched it earlier this year, many reviewers called it a niche device and didn’t think there was a compelling reason to launch a high-res reader – especially when it was going to sell for $ 30 more than Amazon’s best Kindle. Now, however, it looks as though Kobo was right to make the move early. They’ll have been manufacturing the Aura HD for more than a year by the time the new 2014 Kindle Paperwhite arrives, and there’s a good chance Kobo will be able to undercut Amazon’s price (whatever it might be).
Now read: Amazon introduces Kindle First, lets you read ebooks before they are published
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