Everything to expect from the Amazon fall hardware event: New Kindle, Fire TV, and Echo devices
Amazon never rests. With Prime Big Deal Days (aka October Prime Day) and the holiday shopping season fast approaching, the retail juggernaut is gearing up for some big announcements on Tuesday. The retail giant's Devices & Services team is hosting a NYC-based press conference on Sept. 30, where several new devices will likely make their debut.
While Amazon has yet to publicly announce any concrete details about the event, an invitation, as shared by The Verge, shows a quadrant of four devices, providing a sneak peek into what's to come. While Amazon has yet to publicly comment on which devices and services will be unveiled, here's what we're expecting to see.
Is another new Kindle coming?
Since fall 2024, Amazon has gone non-stop with the updates to Kindles. The biggest innovation to come to their e-readers is the addition of color. The Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition had a rocky rollout last year with reports of discoloration plaguing some of the devices. While that has been resolved and Amazon has since released the standard Kindle Colorsoft and the Kindle Colorsoft Kids, a fourth Colorsoft entry is seemingly coming.
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If Amazon is adding color to its existing line, then there are only two options left: the basic Kindle or the Kindle Scribe. However, according to The Verge, Amazon left a sneaky clue in its invitation. In the quadrant of the invite clearly showing a color Kindle, the line "with the stroke of a pen" appears, implying that it's the Kindle Scribe — the only Kindle with writing abilities — that's getting the color makeover.
This would be a much-needed addition to the Scribe, which is the only Amazon e-reader that has annotation abilities. With color, readers will hopefully be able to highlight in different colors and journal in rainbow. (The new reMarkable tablet lets you write notes in color, for instance.)
If we are getting a color Scribe, that means the Colorsoft line is probably not getting a price cut. Kindle's color e-readers are expensive, and in our opinion, not worth the price compared to color e-readers like Kobos. Considering the current Kindle Scribe has a list price of $449 and Colorsoft devices are averaging $90 more than their non-color counterparts, there's a non-zero chance a Kindle Scribe with color will be priced over $500.
A new Fire TV?
Amazon's Fire TVs are also reportedly getting an update. It's unclear if a hardware or software update is coming, but we think an updated TV operating system is more likely. Vega OS, Amazon's new Linux-based operating system, has been an open secret in the tech world for a while now.
Having tested Amazon's Fire TVs, our main complaint was its laggy OS, so we're hopeful for what the Vega OS may offer.
An updated Echo speaker is also possible
For as popular as they are, Amazon's Echo Dot hasn't seen an upgrade since 2022, nor the Echo Pop since 2023. It wouldn't be a surprise that these compact Echo devices were finally getting an upgrade.
However, as reported by ZDNet (also owned by our parent company Ziff Davis), the Echo image used on the invite to this event looks like the Echo Studio, which is notably no longer listed on Amazon's site.
What about that Android-powered Fire tablet?
First rumored back in August, Amazon Fire tablets are reportedly getting a new Android operating system. The new Android OS would replace its existing in-house operating system, an attempt to compete with Apple and Samsung's higher-end tablets.
While a Fire tablet doesn't appear to be on the leaked invite, that's not to say one isn't coming.
We'll be reporting on Amazon's devices and services event on Tuesday, Sept. 29. Return here for more information as it's revealed.
Topics Amazon Amazon Echo Kindle
Boston-based Shopping Reporter, Samantha Mangino, covers all things tech at Mashable, rounding up the best products and deals. She’s covered commerce for three years, spending extensive time testing and reviewing all things home, including couches, steam irons, and washing machines. She thoroughly vets products and internet trends, finding out if those cozy gamer chairs are really as comfortable as TikTok claims.
