E Ink Colors Aren't Vivid, But Do People Really Use It to Browse the Web? Why is Eink Mode Specifically Optimized for the E Ink Reading Experience?
I'd like to express my views through the following points:
First, many web content types are not primarily focused on "viewing images," but rather on "reading text." For example, news articles, blog posts, technical documents, research reports, lengthy forum discussions, online novels, etc. The core of this type of content is text, not vibrant images. In this context, the features of E Ink are very suitable: stable display, non-glare, reduced eye strain during prolonged reading, and even clarity outdoors.
Second, the value of E Ink lies in "deep reading," not "multimedia entertainment." LCD/OLED screens are suitable for video, gaming, and social browsing; E Ink is closer to the reading mode of physical books. Many people purchase e-readers specifically for extended reading. If online content (like articles or long texts) could be read similarly to e-books, it could convert a large amount of fragmented online content into "readable pages presented in paper."
Third, there are already many E Ink devices capable of browsing the web, such as BOOX and Bigme, which have high refresh capabilities, or Dasung, Boox and Bigme's E Ink displays. Many users of these devices read web articles, technical documents, Wikipedia, news, and even long novels. However, most websites are currently designed for LCD screens, so reading on E Ink often results in distracting layout jumps (animations are even more disruptive on E Ink), scrolling feels delayed, fast-refresh algorithms can lead to unclear image quality (grainier visuals), and excessive distracting elements.
Fourth, Eink Mode actually addresses "reading experience" rather than "color issues." Its main functions include:
- Transforming webpage layouts into a reading mode similar to books, paginated reading instead of infinite scrolling
- Reducing distracting elements
- Enhancing the text reading experience (coming soon)
All of these processes help make E Ink devices more naturally suited for reading web content, although this handling faces many technical challenges.
Lastly, there's another important but often overlooked reason: Eink Mode is also preparing for the future of E Ink devices. Many people still associate E Ink with "black and white, dull colors." However, the latest generation of E Ink technology can actually display very vivid colors, even approaching full-color poster printing (over sixty thousand colors). So the current issue is not "color limitations," but rather refresh speed.
When E Ink needs to display highly saturated, precise colors, the overall refresh time becomes longer. If browsing using the current mainstream "scrolling web," continuous high-speed updates are required; E Ink can only use faster but less vibrant refresh modes, or the display will not keep up with the scrolling animations. However, if future E Ink devices adopt different forms, such as:
- Two-page reading devices
- Four-page folding devices
- Book-like multi-page displays
The situation would be completely different. How so? When you're reading two pages of content, the invisible back pages can slowly update in the background. This way, E Ink has ample time to perform high-quality refreshes, presenting more saturated and detailed color displays. By the time you turn the page, the new content has already been updated. In this reading mode, E Ink can maintain its inherent "comfortable reading like paper" quality while showcasing visuals and web content close to poster-quality.
In other words, the "infinite scrolling web" that we are accustomed to today is actually designed for high-speed LCD screens and mouse scroll wheels. But if future reading devices resemble "a foldable book," paginated web reading experiences would make much more sense. What Eink Mode is doing is exploring this reading approach in advance: transforming the web from "a flowing stream of information" back into "content that can be read page by page." As E Ink hardware advances in the future, this reading mode will become even more natural and better utilize the potential of E Ink display technology.
In summary, Eink Mode is not aimed at turning E Ink into a colorful entertainment tablet, but rather converting web content into a form more suitable for "reading." E Ink may not be suitable for "viewing all web pages," but for "reading-oriented web pages," it may actually be one of the most comfortable screens available. And there is more of this type of content online than many people realize.