It’s been nearly two years since Amazon released the Kindle Oasis 3.
At the time it came with some pretty decent features.
From adjustable warm light to IPX8 making it waterproof, Amazon made the Oasis an enticing upgrade for Kindle fans.
So, in 2021 will we see a new Kindle Oasis 4 and what should we expect? I decided to write-down a wish-list of what I would like to see on the new Kindle Oasis 4.
These are ranked from first being top priority to last.
I just hope Jeff Bezos is reading.
For me, this is top of the list!
The Kindle Fire has over 50k+ apps on Amazon’s App Store.
So why not on Kindle ereaders?
It’s not as if Amazon has to reinvent the wheel as the platform and infrastructure in place.
Of course, there are a lot of apps such as games that will not be compatible with ereaders, I get that. So why not filter those apps out and present readers with apps that will.
I also think it would allow third party developers the ability to create interesting apps to help serve the ereader community.
Imagine playing online chess or being able to use a decent web browser such as chrome or Firefox.
Nearly every big player in the ereader space has support for USB C 3.0.
So, we should expect Amazon to follow suit and add USC to their Kindle range in 2021.
While faster file downloading may not be of benefit as most ebooks are between five to ten megabytes. It does mean you will be able to charge you Kindle Oasis in around half an hour, and a 10 min charge should provide a couple days usage.
Don’t worry.
This does not mean you will need to change your charger, as the cable supplied with the device will fit your existing charger socket.
But if you want to take advantage of the faster charge rates you may need to upgrade as it depends on the whether your charger will accept fast charging.
If you’re interested, I created a list of the best value USB chargers for ereaders.
Just be careful, as some of the cheap chargers you find online have been prone to failing even the most basic safety standards such as mains isolation. The chargers on my list are only from reputable companies that have been around for many years.
As the last thing you should do is buy a cheap charger.
Now, I know a lot of you will say “Amazon already provides cloud support.”
And this is true, but it is very basic.
What I would like see is more of a Dropbox or OneDrive app that allows you to view directories and files while browsing the cloud.
If Amazon were to include this service as part of their Prime subscription, I think they would see a noticeable increase in Kindle customers signing up.
The ability to seamlessly transfer data between your computer and ereader for late night reading would be a huge selling point for Amazon and may take market share from it’s rivals such as Boox or reMarkable.
It’s not as if Amazon would have to start from scratch.
With AWS (Amazon Web Services) they have the network in place to make this possible in a short space of time.
I think it’s just a matter of time before we see this as part of their eco-system.
When Amazon released the Oasis back in 2016, I was surprised that the screen was a mere one inch larger than the Paperwhite.
While I believe the Kindle Oasis is the perfect size for ebooks (even more so than Kindle Paperwhite). Amazon are missing a trick by not producing an 7.8” or 10.3” ereader similar in size to the iPad Mini.
Students and professionals would love a more affordable ereader that closer resembles an A4 sheet of paper.
You can still read pdf’s on the Oasis’ 7-inch screen provided you switch to landscape view. But I always feel that it do with being an inch or two larger to comfortably read pdf documents without having to scroll across.
Personally I’d be surprised to see Amazon bring out a larger ereader, as it’s clear they are targeting the ebook market and with no intention of grabbing the A4 ereader market.
Still you can dream…
Currently, both Kindle Paperwhite and Oasis come with a 1400mAH battery.
In comparison, the BOOX Nova 3 has more than twice this (3150mAh).
Although Amazon will highlight that Kindle can last for up to a month with modest use due to processor efficiencies, if you are a voracious reader, it may only last a week on a single charge.
With battery technology continuing to improve each year, don’t be surprised to see the Kindle Oasis 4 release with a larger battery capacity.
Meaning fewer charging times and more time enjoying your favourite book
So, what would you like to see on the next Kindle Oasis? Is there a key killer feature that you think I’ve missed? Let me know in the comments.
Are you wanting an eReader or a tablet, the USB c and battery increase are all it needs really
Hopefully we should see both on new Kindle Oasis 2021 when it's announced.