Amazon updates the Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, and Colorsoft with new colors and up to 32GB of storage, and unveils the $35 Kindle Click page-turning remote (Cameron Faulkner/The Verge)

Amazon has updated its Kindle lineup, launching a refreshed Paperwhite and Colorsoft models, as part of its preparations for the e-reader's 20th anniversary in 2027. The new devices feature slimmer bodies, faster page turning, and the option for aluminum construction. Physical page-turn buttons are returning, though Amazon encourages users to purchase the accessories separately.

The basic Kindle keeps a 6-inch screen, but its front is now flush without the raised bezel found in earlier models, making it 6.8mm (0.27 inches) thick and weighing 140 grams, approximately 18 grams lighter than its predecessor. Amazon claims that page turns are now 30% faster on the new models.

Prices for the entry-level Kindle start at $150 for a plastic model with 16GB storage, featuring lock-screen ads. A $190 upgrade increases storage to 32GB, removes ads, and transitions to aluminum construction. The 7-inch Paperwhite and Colorsoft models also slim down to 6.8mm (0.27 inches) and weigh 204 grams, preserving their waterproof designs and adjustable warm lighting.

The standard Paperwhite is priced at $200 with 16GB and lock-screen ads, while the Signature Edition, priced at $250, includes 32GB and no ads. The Colorsoft starts at $290 for 16GB and $320 for the 32GB Signature Edition. Both Signature editions include aluminum bodies, a feature that automatically adjusts brightness using an ambient light sensor, an accelerometer for automatic landscape orientation, and support for a double-tap gesture to turn pages.

They are also compatible with a $35 Kindle Click, a compact Bluetooth remote that facilitates page turning without touching the screen, making it ideal for reading in bed, on a treadmill, or with a Kindle resting on an airplane tray table. The new Kindle Click starts at $35 and supports the entire Kindle lineup, including those launched in 2024.

These starting prices are higher compared to the 2024 lineup's launch prices, which ranged from $110 for the basic Kindle to $160 for the Paperwhite. Despite these price increases, the new models align with Amazon's recent Kindle price hikes. Amazon attributes these price increases to the rising costs of memory. The basic Kindle, aluminum version, and entry-level Kids model are now available, while Paperwhite and Colorsoft models will follow at the end of October. Readers seeking an Oasis successor will have to wait or budget for the button cover.