Whatever happened to cheap eReaders?

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Cost and Value of Today’s eReaders

  • Many commenters argue that $80–$130/£90–£100 is already “cheap” given design, manufacturing, software, and support.
  • Several report 8–12+ years of daily use from Kindles and Kobos, yielding pennies per book or per hour of reading.
  • Some note that price in nominal terms is flat vs. 10 years ago, which, after inflation and better screens/features, effectively means cheaper devices.

Desire for Ultra‑Cheap Devices vs e‑waste

  • The original wish for a £8–£20 device is widely criticized as either unrealistic (given e‑ink cost) or environmentally harmful.
  • Cheapness is seen as encouraging disposability and lock‑in/ads to recoup costs.
  • Some emphasize that higher prices partially internalize environmental externalities and reduce churn.

E‑ink Technology and Pricing

  • E‑ink panels remain the dominant cost; several note patents and monopoly‑like conditions, but others say volume, not patents, is the real limiter.
  • Small panels for shelf labels are cheap at scale; large, high‑resolution reading panels remain expensive and have yield issues.
  • Color e‑ink is still lower contrast and lower DPI for color layers, with compromises on background brightness.

Ecosystems, DRM, and Lock‑in

  • Kindle is seen as dominant due to ease: huge catalog, one‑click buying, auto‑sync, no “file” concepts for users.
  • Technically inclined users emphasize sideloading, Calibre, DRM stripping, and jailbreaking (KOReader, Syncthing).
  • Others prefer Kobo/Tolino/Boox for more open formats and easier sideloading; some countries (e.g., Brazil) are described as effectively “hostage” to Kindle.
  • Licensing vs. ownership worries persist; past remote deletions (e.g., of 1984) are cited.

Smartphones, Tablets, and Market Size

  • Many heavy readers now use phones or tablets exclusively: always with them, “good enough” screens, and multi‑purpose value.
  • E‑readers win on sunlight readability, eye comfort, battery life, and reduced distraction, but this niche is smaller.
  • Cheap Android/Fire tablets undercut eReaders on apparent specs, even if real‑world quality and longevity are poor.

Longevity, Used Market, and Saturation

  • eReaders last so long that replacement cycles are slow, which discourages aggressive new entrants and limits economies of scale.
  • Cheap second‑hand Kindles/Kobos (£10–£30) are common, meeting the “cheap” demand without new hardware.

Software, UX, and Openness

  • Complaints focus more on software than hardware: clunky firmwares, old Android bases, bad layouts, and limited customization.
  • Kobo + KOReader and Boox devices are praised for openness; Kindle for stability and polish but criticized for tracking and restrictions.