Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite is one of the best e-readers on the market and is perfectly suited for all your e-book needs, but it’s also almost two years old now. When will we see a next-generation model? While we don’t know anything solid yet, we can certainly take some guesses on when we’ll see the Kindle Paperwhite 6. We’ll also take a closer look at some of the new features we’d like to see in the future.
Kindle Paperwhite 6: At a glance
- When is it expected to come out? The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 6 will likely arrive no earlier than H2 2024.
- What new features could there be? We don’t know just yet, though it will likely be a fairly iterative upgrade.
- How much might it cost? It’s very likely the Paperwhite will continue the company’s tradition of raising the price $10 per generation, bringing its price tag to $149.99.
Will there be a Kindle Paperwhite 6?
Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority
The Kindle Paperwhite series began in 2012, with the latest version arriving in 2021. Considering its long history, we don’t see the line going away anytime soon. So yes, there will be a Kindle Paperwhite 6. What’s harder to determine is when it will happen.
What is the most likely Kindle Paperwhite 6 release date?
- Kindle Paperwhite 3 — June 30, 2015
- Kindle Paperwhite 4 — November, 2018
- Kindle Paperwhite 5 — October, 2021
We don’t have any official details on the Kindle Paperwhite 6 release date, but we can make some educated guesses. While the original Kindle Paperwhite generations were a bit more sporadic, release years have been pretty consistent since the release of the Paperwhite 3. Typically, the releases happen every three years, though the ranges quite a bit as you can see above.
Given the last two generations launched in the October-November timeframe, we’d say a fall 2024 release date is pretty likely. That would be around three years after the last generation arrived. Of course, the industry has slowed down a bit with the economy, so it wouldn’t be too strange of a move if Amazon decides to wait a bit longer, say 2025.
What specs and features could the Kindle Paperwhite 6 have?
The Paperwhite 6 is pretty far away, so it’s hard to make any real statements on expected specs or features. Typically new versions of the Paperwhite bring improvements to brightness, color temperature, battery life, and weight/size. The updates are usually pretty iterative, and there’s no reason to believe the Paperwhite 6 will be any different.
Of course, the Paperwhite series isn’t perfect and has some room for improvement. We’ll discuss that a bit further below.
Will the Kindle Paperwhite 6 price increase again?
- Kindle Paperwhite 3 — Starting at $119.99
- Kindle Paperwhite 4 — Starting at $129.99
- Kindle Paperwhite 5 — Starting at $139.99
The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite has continually increased pricing with each new generation, so we wouldn’t be too surprised if the Paperwhite 6 continues this trend. Judging by the $10 price increase with each new model, it’s very likely to start at $149.99.
Should you wait for the Kindle Paperwhite 6?
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
There’s really no reason to wait for the Kindle Paperwhite 6, especially since it’s hard to predict when we might see it. We’d recommend either picking up a Paperwhite 5 ($139 at Amazon) if you’re interested in its slightly improved features over Amazon’s standard Kindle. The device is already pretty solid as it stands and while there’s always room for improvement, the Paperwhite is a pleasure to use with one of the clearest and easiest-to-read displays out there.
Another option would be to pick up a different Kindle model. The Kindle (2022) ($99.99 at Amazon) is probably the most obvious choice. It’s lighter than the Paperwhite and has an excellent display that’s almost as good as the latter. There’s even a built-in light and modern improvements like USB-C. The Paperwhite is also getting more and more expensive with every iteration, whereas the Kindle (2022) will only set you back $100.
Looking for something a bit more upscale? The Kindle Oasis is the premium champion of the Kindle world, offering dedicated turn-page buttons, a large display, and an easy-to-hold design. At $250 retail, it’s also pretty pricey. Lastly, you can also consider the ultra-pricey Kindle Scribe ($339.99 at Amazon) as an alternative if you like the idea of an e-reader that also doubles as a digital notebook to become an E-Ink tablet.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 6: What we want to see
Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority
The Kindle Paperwhite is already a great e-reader, but there are certainly some things we’d like to see from the Paperwhite 6.
Dedicated page-turn buttons
One of the best things about the Kindle Oasis (pictured above) is the physical page-turning buttons on it. We’d love to see this feature make its way to the Paperwhite as well.
Immersion Reading mode
Immersion Reading is one of my favorite Kindle features, but unfortunately, the Paperwhite doesn’t support it. For those unaware, this mode highlights the text in the book while reading out loud to you.
The 8GB base model needs to go away
While the mainline Kindle includes 16GB on the base model, the Paperwhite starts at just 8GB. Considering the Paperwhite is billed as the more premium experience, the next iteration should address this.
A smaller/lighter variant would be nice
The Paperwhite 5 upgraded the display to a larger size, moving from a 6-inch display to a 6.8-inch screen. For many the larger size makes for a better experience. Of course, there are some who prefer a lighter weight and smaller screen.
While these consumers could certainly get a standard Kindle, there are some features on the Paperwhite that can’t be replicated. Offering a large screen and small screen model of the Paperwhite 6 would be an easy way to please both crowds.
