The current status or fate of Mini E-Readers is unknown.
In an article published on our website, author Michael Kozlowski delves into the reasons behind the decline of the mini e-reader market. Kozlowski, a resident of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, has been writing about audiobooks, e-books, and e-readers for eighteen years.
One of the e-readers Kozlowski discusses is the Sony PRS-300, a small device released in 2009 with a 5-inch E Ink Vizplex display. The PRS-300, unlike its successors, did not have a touchscreen; instead, it relied on a D-Pad for navigation and page-turns. It boasted 512MB of internal memory, capable of storing around 350 books, and its rechargeable battery could last for approximately 7,500 page turns or up to 2 weeks. The PRS-300 supported various file formats, including EPUB, PDF, TXT, RTF, and BBeB, both with and without DRM protection.
Another example of a small e-reader is the Kobo Mini, released in 2012. This device featured a 5-inch E Ink Vizplex e-paper screen with a resolution of 200 PPI. Despite its compact size, it offered 2 GB of storage.
However, the allure of small e-readers has diminished due to the widespread use of smartphones. Modern readers often prefer larger e-ink tablets, such as the Kindle Scribe and reMarkable 2, which offer note-taking and multimedia features alongside reading. These devices have captured market interest, leading manufacturers to prioritize them over mini form factors.
The market dominance by Amazon and Kobo also plays a significant role in the contraction of the mini e-reader market. Both companies focus on fewer core product lines with regular updates rather than maintaining a wide variety of small devices. Their current offerings tend to have slightly larger screens (6–7 inches) optimized for reading with good battery life and features like waterproofing and warm light, making very mini devices less attractive.
Furthermore, there is limited innovation or investment in smaller e-reader models, reflecting lower market interest and profitability. Although Bookshop.org is reportedly planning to launch a Kindle competitor as of 2025, overall there is little proliferation of diverse e-reader hardware options. Some companies like Bookshop.org concentrate on software platforms and digital bookstores, choosing app-based solutions over physical hardware growth.
The rise of smartphones has also made e-readers less necessary, as they can perform similar functions and fit in pockets. The Kindle Paperwhite, once a 6-inch e-reader, increased its size to over 7 inches in a few generations. Today, the only current, supported, and not discontinued smaller dedicated e-reader is the Onyx Boox Palma 2, with a 6.13-inch screen and retailing for USD 279.99.
In conclusion, the mini e-reader market has shrunk because the demand and industry push favor larger, more versatile e-ink devices; dominant players streamline their portfolios; and newer competitors focus more on software and ecosystem rather than proliferating small hardware variants. While there is still interest in basic, lightweight e-readers, these tend to be around 6 inches or larger rather than truly mini-sized displays.
Smartphone technology has encouraged readers to opt for larger e-ink tablets, such as the Kindle Scribe and reMarkable 2, over smaller e-readers like the Sony PRS-300 or Kobo Mini. The newer devices offer note-taking and multimedia features, capturing market interest and leading manufacturers to prioritize them over mini-sized form factors.
Innovation and investment in smaller e-reader models have diminished due to lower market interest and profitability, with new competitors preferring to focus on software platforms and digital bookstores rather than physical hardware growth. The rise of smartphones has made e-readers appear less necessary, as they can perform similar functions and comfortably fit in pockets, contributing to the decline of the mini e-reader market.
