Hey Amazon, bring back the Kindle Oasis

If you’re an avid fan of Kindles or have a passing interest in e-readers, you’ve likely heard the news — the Kindle Oasis is dead. Amazon’s last e-reader with a premium build and page turn buttons is no more. But more importantly, there’s no replacement planned. Predictably, enthusiasts, including me, are up in arms. Amazon needs to bring back the Kindle Oasis, and here’s why.

For the love of reading

There are a few things dear to any hard-core reading enthusiast. Immersion, the lack of things that get in the way of immersion, and the quality of what you are reading. In the case of physical books, I’d say that comes down to the writing, additions like finicky cover jackets, and if you’re picky like me, the quality of paper used. In the e-reader or tablet world, things are slightly different. While a good book does the bulk of the heavy lifting when it comes to immersion, physical page-turn buttons and a lack of over-sensitive touchscreens amplify that experience. Finally, a sturdily-built, premium e-book reader solidifies that experience. As it stands, Amazon’s latest crop of e-ink readers fails on at least two of those metrics.

While the best Android phones and tablets are perfectly fine without physical controls, when I’m in bed deeply engrossed in a book, I do not want to lift a finger and swipe across a display. Now, Amazon might suggest tapping the side of the screen to flip a page, but that isn’t perfect either. The touchscreen is too sensitive, and all too often, I’ve found myself several pages ahead when the Kindle brushed against the blanket or as I turned around in bed. In fact, I prefer to keep the touchscreen disabled with the physical page turn guaranteeing a complete lack of unintended page turns. With the new Kindles, that’s not an option.

But the Kindle Oasis had yet another special trick up its sleeve. Due to its asymmetric orientation, it could be held comfortably in either hand. The built-in accelerometer would just flip the screen, and the page turn buttons would operate as intended. So, if you are a southpaw or someone who moves around a lot in bed like me, the Kindle Oasis offers the most comfortable reading experience among Amazon’s entire lineup.

While we’re on the topic of comfort, the asymmetric design and bump hold a special place in my heart. Where most ebook readers sport a flat back, the Oasis opted for a bump that effectively acts like a grip. It makes holding the phone significantly easier no matter the orientation and is a feature that I miss on my other Kindles.

And finally, coming from the aluminum and glass design of the Oasis, it is hard to call any of the current Kindle e-readers premium. With Amazon’s lineup topping off with the Colorsoft, which, you guessed it, has a plastic construction, there is simply no replacement for the premium feel of the Oasis. All of which to say, Amazon took away a perfectly good product and replaced it with a new shiny that doesn’t necessarily match up. Color e-book readers can be great, but it’s not as if Amazon is doing much to elevate that experience either.

Amazon needs to meet its customers where they are

Look, I’ve been a loyal Kindle user ever since the first model came out. I own practically every model Amazon has released and have gifted more Kindles to friends and family than I care to count. You’ll often find me claiming that the Kindle is my favorite gadget of all time. But lately, Amazon’s moves are getting more and more monopolistic. Not only is it unwilling to listen to consumer feedback, and believe me, Kindle loyalists have been very vocal about their love for a refreshed Oasis, but it is also making moves to lock down the ecosystem.

Between the many documented cases of Amazon removing sideloaded books, making it harder to sideload content, removing cover art for books uploaded via Calibre, or restricting users from backing up books they’ve bought from the Kindle store, Amazon knows it has a monopoly in the space and is making unchecked predatory moves.

Already, I’m looking at alternative options, and in 2024, there’s no dearth of them. In fact, the Kobo Libra Color could be considered a direct upgrade of the Kindle Oasis minus the aluminum construction. I’m not keen on jumping platforms, but come time to upgrade, I’ll certainly be giving Kobo’s ecosystem a long and hard look.

In the meantime, Amazon really needs to start meeting its most devoted customers halfway. I get that the Paperwhite is the highest-selling Kindle, and the Colorsoft is the new shiny thing, but I’m willing to bet there’s enough of an audience for a refreshed Oasis with the spanking new color e-ink display and USB-C support. Make it happen, Amazon.