New Kindle e-Reader will have a solar powered case

April 5, 2016 By Michael Kozlowski 8 Comments

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced that a new Kindle will be unveiled next week. This new model will come with a rechargeable protective case for extended battery life, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Also under development is a separate Kindle case with a battery that can be charged using solar power. It is unlikely this case will be released in the immediate future, another person familiar with the matter said.

According to MarketWatch “The new Kindle and case are code-named “Whiskey” and “Soda,” respectively, and the solar-powered case is known internally as “Sunkiss” among engineers at Lab126, Amazon’s Silicon Valley hardware development unit, one of the people said. The division is responsible for other Amazon devices including its Echo virtual assistant, Fire tablets and Fire TV set-top box.”

Michael Kozlowski

Michael Kozlowski is the Editor in Chief of Good e-Reader. He has been writing about audiobooks and e-readers for the past ten years. His articles have been picked up by major and local news sources and websites such as the CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and Verge.

Imprevist

Extended battery case for a device that gives me 6 weeks battery life? This is useless! The only thing that matters is SIZE! 7″ or BUST!
Jeffrey Nicholas Gennick

I do agree with the other commenter. I have seen people tear apart and open a Kindle Voyage, there is plenty of room in there to double or maybe even triple the internal battery already. I can only assume the reasons they do not do so are weight and manufacturing costs.

This idea of selling a case with a battery in it is stupid. It will just add too much more weight, two seperate devices to charge, and two separate devices to buy.

Although the solar panel part is rather interesting.
Good E-Reader

apparently this kindle will be really thin.
HR

True.
Jan

I’d rather see a Voyage with sound capability rather than external battery case. But since when do manufacturers listen to consumers?!?
Imprevist

What is the industries infatuation with thinner? As if the current KV is too thick and heavy. They keep taking away vital elements and focusing on things that simply aren’t necessary. Thinner? Not necesary. Haptic feedback? Not necessary. Adaptive lighting? Not necessary. Page turn sensors? Buttons yes sensors, no.
What they need to focus on is 7 inches and not putting out another torrid pink hue display.
major256

Maybe it will be foldable? 10 inch, folded into two, when not in use – that’s my wet dream;)