Amazon: Kindle eReader with colour screen to be delayed?

The Kindle reader with a colour screen could be delayed due to problems with the lighting source.

The e-paper reader comes with a particular display which consumed very little energy and offers readability which closely resembles that of a piece of paper, but, like paper, it cannot be read when there is little or no light.

It is therefore impossible to read your eBooks without an eternal lighting source, which limits reading possibilities (or requires the purchase of dedicated accessories) – giving tablets an advantage with their rear-lit screen. The rear lighting consumes an enormous amount of energy though, so an intermediary solution needs to be found.

Looking at the first solution, Barnes & Noble released their Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight reader, which comes with a lighting system places not behind the screen but in front (front light) bringing with it softer and indirect light (less tiring on the eyes), allowing users to read in the dark without using up too much battery.

Quickly enough, it was rumoured that Amazon, leader in reader sales with their Kindle range, wouldn’t be able to sit on their hands and would therefore look at launching a Kindle reader with similar lighting structure – most likely in the third quarter of 2012.

The site Digitimes reports that the company has had some issues with this lighting technology though, which has delayed the mass production of the new Kindle reader meaning that deliveries would now happen later in the third quarter.

This could lead to orders of e-paper displays from E-Ink being blocked during July and August while the problem is resolved For this supplier, this is an opportunity of shipping 1.5 to 1.8 million screens which will disappear, hurting their third quarter financial estimates.