Amazon discontinues the Kindle Oasis, which was the only Kindle still available with physical page-turn buttons, introduced in 2016 and last refreshed in 2019

Amazon has discontinued the Kindle Oasis, which was the only Kindle still available with physical page-turn buttons.

The Verge 2024-10-17 Jay Peters

Context & Ripple Effects

Oasis began as Amazon’s premium, ultra-thin Kindle with a bundled battery case in 2016, then added waterproofing, a larger screen and Audible support in a 2017 redesign. Its 2019 update added a warmer E Ink display but was characterized in related coverage as incremental for an expensive device.

The rest of the Kindle line was already moving without hardware navigation controls: the 2021 Paperwhite Signature Edition combined display and battery upgrades with no physical buttons. Removing Oasis therefore ends a distinct input option rather than merely retiring an old refresh cycle.

First-order effects

Amazon’s current Kindle range no longer offers physical page-turn buttons, leaving shoppers who value that control scheme without a new Amazon model to buy.
Oasis owners retain an e-reader whose last hardware revision was in 2019, but Amazon has not provided a successor that carries forward its defining control layout.

Second-order effects

The change concentrates Kindle choice around touchscreen-based interaction, making the Paperwhite-style design the practical reference point for customers comparing Amazon’s remaining devices.
Button-focused e-reader buyers may hold onto existing Oasis hardware longer or look beyond Amazon’s current lineup, creating a small but clear product-gap at the premium end.

Third-order effects

If Amazon does not reintroduce buttons elsewhere, Kindle hardware will be more standardized around fewer interaction designs, reducing differentiation between premium and mainstream models.
This is one data point in a broader portfolio-consolidation pattern: mature device lines can retire specialized hardware variants when updates increasingly center on common display and battery improvements.

The trend: Amazon’s Oasis exit points to consolidation of the Kindle range around touchscreen-led designs rather than preserving specialized physical-control models.

Discussion

@dannysullivan Danny Sullivan on threads
The “page turning features you'll love” would have been actual buttons to turn pages on any of the new Kindles. That's what I wanted. Oh well, my Kindle Oasis which does have them keeps ticking along, and I'll keep treasuring it. The color version for graphic novels looks pret…
@jhludwig John Ludwig on threads
Tempted by the new kindle scribe but i really don't want my notes off in a kindle island, i want them usable in Apple Notes and elsewhere. https://www.theverge.com/...
@jhaaren Jesper van Haaren on threads
That color Kindle looks really nice, but I think I would still prefer the Paperwhite due to it's battery-life, price, and faster performance https://www.theverge.com/...
@shakeelhashim Shakeel on x
This sucks, the Oasis is so much better than other Kindles (way more comfortable to hold) and there's nothing else on the market quite as good.
@rishissb Rishi on x
Fellow readers.... Do Kindle users not enjoy a physical page-turn button anymore? Interested in the color model but it'll be hard to get rid of the physical buttons on my Kindle Oasis
@stephenfleming Stephen Fleming on x
I wonder if @Amazon does any customer discovery before developing new models of Kindle. I use my @AmazonKindle a LOT. I have absolutely zero desire for a color display. And I don't need a stylus... I have an iPad for that. What do I want? Physical page-turn buttons and better
@austin_federa Austin Federa on x
Still no Kindle Oasis replacement Why does everyone hate physical buttons 😡😡😡
@scruffybookdude @scruffybookdude on threads
A couple of thoughts for my Bookthreads friends about the new Kindle releases today: -the Kindle Basic and Paperwhite updates feel extremely minor. If you have an 11th gen of either model, you really don't need to upgrade. -the Kindle Colorsoft is intriguing, but at its price po…
@ampressman Aaron Pressman on threads
It's terrific that Amazon is still updating its Kindle line (14 years after people said Apple would kill Kindle with the iPad). And the new color model looks very interesting. But pour one out for page turning buttons, alas. https://www.theverge.com/... cc @techmeme
@bookofjoe @bookofjoe on x
Surprised that today's new Kindle Paperwhite is a bit heavier (211g v 201g) and larger than the version it replaces, while not shrinking the way past due date giant bezels. Wrong direction for those of us who hold it in one hand while lying on our side reading in bed. [image]
@maxwinebach Max Weinbach on x
This is the Kindle Paperwhite [video]
@maxwinebach Max Weinbach on x
Amazon announced a few new Kindles this morning. The entry level Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite (I have one, it's really nice) are really nice improvements over the classic. The new Kindle Scribe looks great, adaptive flow of books to your writing is super cool. But man that [image…
@panos_panay Panos Panay on x
We've also introduced an all-new Kindle Paperwhite—our most popular device. It's faster, thinner, and more powerful than ever, with a gorgeous 7-inch display and page turns that are practically instantaneous. Despite the performance boost, it still delivers 3 months of battery [v…
@amazon @amazon on x
🆕 Reading on your @amazonkindle just got better. We just announced an all-new lineup of Kindle devices in the biggest portfolio relaunch since the first Kindle device was introduced in 2007. The lineup includes ⬇️ 📖 Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition, the first-ever Kindle in [vi…

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