Amazon is an e-reader giant, the Kindle series being one of Amazon’s products that has dominated the market. The company changed digital reading with cheap devices, a huge e-book marketplace, and intense customer loyalty. A leak of a prototype known as Kindle Petit Colour suggests that Amazon might be working on their much smaller and cheaper e-reader with a colour screen.
The leak appeared through a Brazilian Redditor, who uploaded some pictures of the device, smaller than the 11th-generation Kindle. Unlike black-and-white models, this prototype displayed coloured icons, richer page tones, and adjustable saturation. While not confirmed by Amazon, the speculation is towards a probable launch in November 2025.
Such a launch could have strong ramifications for consumer expectations. Colour e-ink has been a premium feature for years. If Amazon sells colour e-ink to the mass market, Kobo and PocketBook will find it hard to respond.
Amazon to launch Kindle
What Features Could the New Kindle Offer?
Final thoughts on intriguing features were drawn from the prototype of Kindle Petit Colour. Wi-Fi, battery, and Kindle Store appeared in colour. The e-book text was also supposed to change colours to signify progress, a much nicer visual treatment than just percentage bars.
Users reported it displayed colours with more intensity than Kindle Colorsoft does now. That one, which debuted in July 2025 at US $249.99, had opened up colour e-ink to mid-tier prices already. Clearly, the leaked one seems planned below that price band to go one step further in making colour a possibility.
The next limitation of the prototype was no front lighting. Renowned analysts, however, stand by the fact that any retail version would finally be lit to ensure exposure in the competitive side of running really well. The power bæ efficiency may constitute another issue, as perpetually colour e-ink on a larger scale would consume more energy than its grayscale counterpart.
Is the Market Ready for Affordable Colour E-Readers?
The global e-reader market has witnessed steady growth, being propelled by factors such as digitalisation and the growing adoption of e-books. Value-wise, it was pegged at $8.46 billion while it is supposed to reach $16.93 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 6.8%.
For e-ink devices, colour seemed like the final factor that would combine the experience of tablets and e-readers. The iPad has its vivid colours, but it does not have the battery life or the comfort of reading that e-ink has. Any budget Kindle in colour would grab the attention of buyers wanting some colour with fewer distractions than a tablet.
In particular, emerging markets are highly profitable. Places such as India and Brazil showcase robust digital reading growth. An affordable colour device would go down well with students, teachers, and casual readers.
E-Readers Market Share
Amazon Expands Its Kindle Strategy
Amazon’s recent $249.99 launch of the Kindle Colorsoft (16 GB) connotes a prospect-laden strategy. The model has been stripped of premium features such as wireless charging but retains the colour display and eight-week battery life. The $269.99 Kids Edition targets the younger readers and education markets. Should the Petit Colour launch at an even lower price, Amazon will just about cover every major consumer segment.
While premium buyers would still lean toward the high-end Signature Editions, they get real value, and so do budget-conscious readers, from a lower-end colour device.
Hence, Amazon’s approach reflects its long-term strategy of growing the Kindle user base while customer-locking into its e-book ecosystem: The more we use Kindle devices, the more we buy digital content in Amazon’s bookstore.
How Will Investors React to a Budget Kindle?
In the eyes of investors, this move will fortify Amazon into a niche yet growing sector, where, while Kindle hardware alone may not generate huge profit margins, it does create recurring revenues through the sale of e-books and subscriptions like Kindle Unlimited.
According to projections, the worldwide book market will exceed $30 billion by 2030, much of the growth being highly correlated with device adoption; thus, if Amazon does well in making colour technology mainstream, it will further deepen its ecosystem advantage.
Device manufacturers stand to struggle competing with Amazon on scale and price. Investors feel the angle here is less margin per unit and more customer acquisition by way of hardware. An extended Kindle family enlarges Amazon’s moat against Apple Books, Google Play Books, and Kobo.
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What Does This Mean for the Future of Reading?
A cheap Kindle with a colour display would, in all probability, change digital book consumer habits. This is detrimental to comics, graphic novels, and children’s titles. However, colour augments the educational content and makes Kindles useful in the classroom.
The Petit Colour, though lacking premium features, is big on accessibility: by making colour reading affordable, Amazon secures wider adoption and deeper loyalty.
If the 2025 November launch comes to pass, it will not only expand Amazon’s e-reader family but also set new standards for consumers worldwide-the reaction of markets would be keenly observed by investors and analysts.
