(Update: Nov 5, 3 p.m. ET): Added an updated statement from Amazon about the Colorsoft issue.
What you need to know
- Users who've received the Kindle Colorsoft report an odd yellowish bar at the bottom of the e-readers' display.
- As a result, Amazon has reportedly suspended all Kindle Colorsoft shipments, leaving consumers to wait up to "a week or more."
- Amazon has stated it is working on a software fix for this issue, but the company has not said when this could arrive.
Amazon launched several updated Kindles in mid-October and among them is its first full-color e-reader, which has hit a snag.
Over the weekend, Amazon reportedly informed customers who purchased the Kindle Colorsoft that its delivery would be suspended. According to GoodEReader, the company is delaying all shipments of its color e-reader by "a week or more." The publication states Amazon's Kindle Colorsoft encountered a problem with its display that caused a "yellowish bar" to appear at the bottom of its display.
Amazon is only now becoming aware of the problem after users took to its product page to leave several negative reviews. One user's review claims that the yellowish bar takes up "5-10%" of the bottom of their display. The trend continued as several more reviews brought up the strange yellow stripe as users bombarded the Colorsoft e-reader's page.
Amazon confirmed its recent actions to The Verge. The company's spokesperson, Jill Tornifoglio stated, "we’re aware of a small number of reports from customers who see a yellow band along the bottom of the display. We take the quality of our products seriously and are looking into it. If customers notice this on their device, they can reach out to our customer service team."
Additionally, Dark mode was originally listed as one of the e-reader's features; however, Amazon has included a note on the product's page stating it's not working. Amazon shifts users' attention to the device's "Page Soft" feature, which acts similarly to dark mode.
There's no word about Dark Mode, but GoodEReader states Amazon informed users that the device may arrive anywhere from November 9 to the 18 in the U.S. Those in the U.K. are said to receive it around November 26. The issue with the Colorsoft's display seems widespread, but Amazon told users that it's working on a patch to solve the problem, indicating it could be a software issue.
Amazon launched the Kindle Colorsoft on October 16 alongside the new Kindle Scribe, Paperwhite, and base model. The Colorsoft is its first full-color e-reader rocking a 7-inch display and a custom coating to enhance its visuals. Amazon stated in a press release that the Colorsoft features two modes: "standard" and "vibrant" colors to improve its experience.
Aside from 32GB of storage, the Kindle Colorsoft received note-taking features like text highlighting, a zoom function for images, and more. Per the company's post, the device started shipping on October 30. However, in light of recent events, Amazon has suspended all Kindle Colorsoft shipments until it can work out a solution.
While we're likely waiting on a software update, Amazon has not said when users can expect this to rollout.
Update
Amazon reached out to Android Central to provide an update on the Kindle Colorsoft situation.
The following statement was delivered by an Amazon spokesperson:
"A small number of customers have reported a yellow band along the bottom of the display. We take the quality of our products seriously—customers who notice this can reach out to our customer service team for a replacement or refund, and we’re making the appropriate adjustments to ensure that new devices will not experience this issue moving forward."
Additionally, those who have reached out for a replacement unit can still use the one they have in their possession until that new device arrives. Amazon states consumers "might see shifts in availability dates as we implement these changes. We’re working quickly to get new and replacement devices to customers."
