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Kindle Oasis FCC Paperwork Show Bluetooth, Audio Support

Kindle Oasis-Rustic CoverWhen Amazon announced their latest ereader last week, they told us it had Wifi, page turn buttons to one side of the screen, and a ridiculously high price tag, but that’s not all it can do.

Newly uncovered FCC filings have revealed that the Kindle Oasis might have a few hidden abilities. The paperwork doesn’t name the Kindle and can’t be tied directly to Amazon, but all signs point to this being Amazon’s hardware.

The two filings listed below tell us that last week two faceless companies each sent a Wifi- and Bluetooth-equipped tablet like device through the FCC. Neither company exists online or in the real world, and yet both coincidentally used the same model number, had their device tested on 10 July last year, and then filed the FCC paperwork on 12 April 2016 while having all the useful images embargoed.

Also, that model number has been positively tied to the Kindle Oasis. In other words, these belong to Amazon.

The paperwork doesn’t show us what was tested (we have to wait until October to find out), but it does tell us that both devices were tested for Wifi and Bluetooth. One was even tested with a Bluetooth earphone, thus confirming audio support.

There was also a report (from AFTVNews, the blog that found the filings) that the test units had a headphone jack, but I can’t find any evidence to support that.

While the Kindle Oasis does not officially have Bluetooth, the first leaks suggested that it would have this feature. I was in fact the first news site to report on that leak (I also beat the WSJ to the news on the battery case), and now it has been confirmed.

Alas, I can’t tell you why Amazon left this feature out or disabled it, but I’m sure I’m not the only person looking forward to the teardowns which will reveal whether the Oasis still has the chip for Bluetooth.

Do you suppose Amazon is going to add Bluetooth-support in an update?

If nothing else, it would go a long way towards justifying the Oasis’s $290 price tag. Bluetooth support would let you stream audio to a BT speaker, or connect the Oasis to Amazon’s home automation.

Amazon might be planning to enable BT when they release a matching keyboard case.  While that is pure speculation, I don’t think it is such a crazy idea given that the case already has its own battery.

How would you like to use the Bluetooth on the Kindle Oasis?

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Comments


Patrick Perez April 17, 2016 um 1:58 pm

Audio on the Oasis isn’t useful for me personally, but that’s just me. I don’t pretend my wants are the definitive set of features, especially for a premium device like this. I am surprised it didn’t have the water resistance of the Kobo or Nook models, but again, not a major point for me.

I think the reason it has BT might be as simple as Amazon wanting to use an off the shelf radio chip, and it having BT and is cheaper than specing a different model without it. I assume the Oasis will be low-volume, sales-wise, meant more as a halo product.

Frankly, had I not just traded up from a Paperwhite 1 to the Voyage about 6 weeks ago, I would have gone for the Oasis on the strength of three things: Asymmetric shape making one-handed operation more comfortable, presumably improved page illumination, and accelerometer making switching handedness easier.

What I wish it had (and this applies to all Kindles) is better page layout options and better typeface support. At least match the display functionality of my Kobo AuraHD, Amazon. Contrast and resolution aside, I prefer the page presentation of the Kobo over any Kindle (but I really dislike the slipperiness and wedge pattern on the Kobo).


John Aga April 17, 2016 um 2:34 pm

I want BT on the Oasis for TTS, podcasts, and Audible books. That is the killer application that would get me to upgrade.


poiboy April 17, 2016 um 7:51 pm

would they be trying to set-up a way to play amazon’s Audible books via the kindle?

Nate Hoffelder April 17, 2016 um 7:59 pm

You could do that on the first three Kindles. It would be nice if Amazon brought it back.

poiboy April 17, 2016 um 11:05 pm

since they love pushing Audible.com why not right?


carmen webster buxton April 17, 2016 um 8:07 pm

I welcome the return of audio to e-ink Kindles! I like to have the Kindle read my manuscripts aloud as a way to proof them. I was keeping a Kindle 3 for that purpose, but after a few years in a drawer, it is now a brick. I use the Kindle Fire instead.

poiboy April 17, 2016 um 11:06 pm

you can replace the battery on the kindle 3. easy to find on ebay.


carmen webster buxton April 18, 2016 um 12:55 am

I’ll have to explore that. I though you couldn’t change it.


DaveMich April 18, 2016 um 2:10 am

Google "replace kindle 3 battery" and many links pop up.

Lyn April 18, 2016 um 6:50 pm

Could be that it links to their new devise and reads books that way…


Will the Kindle Oasis have Bluetooth? I doubt it – TeleRead News: E-books, publishing, tech and beyond April 18, 2016 um 5:32 am

[…] Hoffelder at The Digital Reader has turned up FCC paperwork suggesting that the Kindle Oasis might have Bluetooth built in, and possibly even an earphone jack. The paperwork is light on details, given that it’s filed as […]


Straker April 18, 2016 um 9:17 am

It stands to reason that they’d want to integrate the Oasis into the Alexa ecosystem at some point.


Frank April 18, 2016 um 1:19 pm

The Verge has an article about this as well.
http://www.theverge.com/2016/4/18/11450764/kindle-oasis-bluetooth

Nate Hoffelder April 18, 2016 um 1:24 pm

Yep. I’m the source.


¿Esconde el Kindle Oasis un chip con Bluetooth para usos futuros? – Teknófilo April 18, 2016 um 1:45 pm

[…] The Digital Reader, el nuevo lector Kindle Oasis que presentó la compañía la semana pasada podría esconder un […]


Amazon Kindle Oasis Hiding Its Secret Bluetooth Audio Powers? – MEGATechNews April 18, 2016 um 3:12 pm

[…] Via The Digital Reader […]


Redrum April 18, 2016 um 4:42 pm

The device contains BT and Amazon turn it off. OMFG. Amazon != Innovation. Piss off and let someone positive steer the market.


Tom Semple April 18, 2016 um 11:27 pm

I would want BT as much for ability to use a keyboard or mouse for typing and navigation as audio (which presume would be mostly just for TTS – Oasis does not have enough storage to be a good audiobook device, and at least in the past, the UI for that was horrible). TTS needs to be better than before and support the major languages though. Any audio streaming would probably kill the battery fast.

There might be more of an Accessibility story if you had ability to connect a keyboard or mouse, as well. Fire for example has pretty decent basic keyboard navigation, it is pretty easy to turn pages, navigate home screen and pick things there.

We don’t have reason to think Oasis has a mic, do we?

Nate Hoffelder April 18, 2016 um 11:29 pm

A mic? Not that I know of, but you could add one via Bluetooth.


Why is the Kindle Oasis hiding a Bluetooth chip? | TechKee Blog April 19, 2016 um 10:00 am

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?Kindle Oasis??????Bluetooth??????????Amazon??????????Audible?????? – GIGAZINE | 40CH.NET April 23, 2016 um 8:00 am

[…] Kindle Oasis FCC Paperwork Show Bluetooth, Audio Support | The Digital Reader https://the-digital-reader.com/2016/04/17/kindle-oasis-fcc-paperwork-reveals-bluetooth-audio-support/ […]


VoiceView for Kindle is Amazon's Accessibility Solution | The Digital Reader June 14, 2016 um 1:03 pm

[…] the Kindle Oasis went through the FCC last month, one of the test reports inexplicably mentioned an "iPod Earphone". This made no sense at the time […]


FCC Paperwork Confirms Kindle Oasis Has Bluetooth, But No Headphone Jack | The Digital Reader October 15, 2016 um 5:23 pm

[…] months since Amazon launched the Oasis, and just under six months since I brought you the news that it might have Bluetooth. It took me a while, but I can now confirm that the Oasis was tested for Bluetooth before the […]


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