E Ink Kaleido 4 doubles color gamut; first in Hanvon’s China-only M10C II

E Ink has launched Kaleido 4, the next version of the color e-paper platform used in many color e-readers and note tablets. The company’s press release (October 15, 2026) and coverage by The Verge outline the upgrades and the first device.

What improved

Compared with Kaleido 3, E Ink says Kaleido 4:

• Doubles color gamut volume to more than 40,000 (still a filter-based panel limited to about 4,096 distinct colors in practice, per The Verge)
• Raises white reflectance by 15% and contrast by 50% — aimed at less muddy text
• Adds algorithms for video up to 18 frames per second
• Uses a new oxide TFT backplane for higher drive voltage and faster refresh

Kaleido stacks a color filter on black-and-white e-paper. That is faster than E Ink’s Gallery pigment panels, but color stays lower-resolution and less saturated than LCD/OLED.

First product: Hanvon M10C II

China’s Hanvon Technology is shipping the M10C II smart ePaper notebook as the first Kaleido 4 product. Hanvon cites 27% faster page turns/scrolling with its own timing controller, a micro-etched glass writing surface, and a battery-free pen with 8,192 pressure levels. Availability is described as China-focused; Western brands such as Amazon and Kobo have not announced Kaleido 4 hardware yet.

For readers tired of washed-out color e-ink, Kaleido 4 is an incremental but meaningful panel upgrade — with the usual caveat that you will need a new device once your preferred brand adopts it.