Last updated: September 2023
I wrote this post because every now and again I get a message from somebody asking me if I know when the reMarkable 3 will be released.
The honest answer is that I don’t know – I have no insider knowledge from reMarkable themselves and there aren’t any whispers on the regular e-ink rumour mills either.
But, if I were to make an educated guess (and this is pure speculation), I would say that reMarkable is unlikely to release a third iteration of their e-ink tablet in 2023.
My reasoning is below…
rM2 already fits in perfectly with reMarkable’s vision
The first reason for this prediction is because the existing reMarkable 2 is already gorgeously designed and performs its core function (note-taking) exceedingly well. I really can’t see how they might improve on the hardware or the build without moving away from their core values.
For example, if the reMarkable 3 had a frontlight, this would increase the pen-to-ink distance, having a detrimental effect on the writing experience. If it had speakers or a microphone, it would no longer be a distraction-free focused note-taking tablet. Although the core hardware (CPU, RAM etc.) might be upgraded, there wouldn’t be much point to it because note-taking processes do not need a lot of resources.
reMarkable has always taken a ‘less is more‘ approach, and many of the weaknesses of the reMarkable 2 (such as a substandard e-reading experience) could be resolved with better software rather than better hardware.
Similarly, as smart as reMarkable’s marketing team is, they are unlikely to want to promote anything that doesn’t have significant advantages over its predecessor.
Returns en masse
The second reason for my doubt is due to reMarkable’s 100-day free return guarantee. As you can imagine, the moment the reMarkable 3 goes on sale, almost everyone that bought a reMarkable 2 in the last 3 months is going to send it back – this is going to be a logistical and financial nightmare for reMarkable.
reMarkable has a very shrewd sales and marketing team who are likely to put a plan in place to mitigate this risk. I’m guessing that there will probably be some alterations made to their returns policy as a precursor to the release of the rM3.
As a comparative case study, we can perhaps look at what is happening right now with Supernote. They have announced a successor to their Supernote A6 X (which will be called the A6 X2) to be launched in November 2023. Consequently, over the last several months, manufacture of the A6 X has ceased and it is no longer available to buy on their website as they prepare to release the newer product.
No new FCC applications
A Reddit user also mentioned that there are no new applications to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from reMarkable to approve a new device for wireless technologies, which is further evidence that they probably do not have anything in the pipeline.
For transparency, I don’t know enough about the FCC processes to say how strong of an indication this is, however, other manufacturers (such as Boox) usually put forward FCC applications two or three weeks before they release a new product.
In addition, the company’s strategic direction seems to be based around improving the existing experience, particularly in relation to their desktop/mobile app, which I feel is needed to justify the $3-per-month Connect subscription.
reMarkable 3 alternatives
The reMarkable 2 already fits neatly into the role it was designed for – a focused and distraction-free e-ink note-taking device. It is aesthetically pleasing and has a great tactile writing feel but it doesn’t really do anything else.
If you are looking for an e-ink tablet that is more versatile, you might want to check out the Supernote A5X or the Boox Note Air 2 Plus, both of which also support email, calendars and Kindle.
To view my top e-ink tablet recommendations, click here.
You can also compare e-ink tablets here.
About the author
Dan Dutton is passionate about E-ink writing tablets, which bring together the pleasure of writing on paper with the power of digital technology. When he bought his first tablet, he realised that there wasn't a lot of unbiased information available for people that were considering buying an E-ink tablet, and so he built eWritable.
Dan,
Thanks for the insight. I have a few questions for you, as an expert.
1) Is it true that the Remarkable2 now interfaces with Word documents plus email and Calendar using Outlook?
2) Does the Supernote partner app allow users to create new files and documents on an iphone and also modify files and documents using the phone and desktop apps?
I do really like the ceramic tip pen on the Supernote, can that be used on the Remarkable and /or does the Remarkable offer other writing instrument options?
Thanks,
Mark-
Hi Mark, Thanks for your comment.
There’s no support for email or outlook calendar on the rm2. The only support for word docs is to convert them to pdf using the readonremarkable browser extension.
You can’t create or edit files using the supernote app, just view your files.
Technically the sn pen can be used on the rm, however I wouldn’t advise it because the tip is quite hard and pointy and could potentially scratch/damage the rm screen – the sn screen has been specifically designed to work with the ceramic nibs.
Hope this helps,
Dan
I’m very interested in the ReMarkable but until it supports Word docs or at the very least RTF files I’ll keep waiting. If they add that with software or release a new version of the hardware that supports it, I’ll pick one up. OneNote would be cool too.
If I am not mistaken, you can send from Word to the RM2 right now with software 3.6. You can also access word or pdf files in your online storage (e.g., Dropbox and OneDrive). The process imports the file and you can annotate and draw on it. You then have access through RM’s desktop app and can export back out for sharing, review, printing, etc.
The only thing missing is backlight 🙁
Hope RM3 will have that option.
Is not in the rm philosophy. It a paper…
I think the next rm3 can handle the color, so that I open a book and it seems to be a real book. Sometime when you import pdf book you want to study…is frustrating to see it back/white/gray…
That wouldn’t be a bad shout, Andrea. Still think we’re some way off a new tablet though – I think there will be some more Connect features first to lock more people into the rM ecosystem.
I What advice do you give me as a first-time buyer of an electronic ink writing tablet? Is eMarkable 2 the best option if I am only interested in taking notes and being able to have them organized and always within my reach?
Yes, the rm2 is perhaps your best option. The supernote a5x and boox note air2+ are more sophisticated but for simple notetaking you won’t go far wrong with the rm2. Plus it’s a little less expensive and there’s a 100 day return period if it doesn’t work out for you.
Thanks for this great article. I had the chance to try an rm2 and loved it. I wish I’d taken the time to check the security. Can you help? I take notes of my psychotherapy sessions. Because the information is confidential, it’s really important that I can have a good system for locking the device if I have to step out of the room. And if someone were to steal the device, it’s important that they would have a hard time getting the data inside. I’m concerned that if I have just a simple password system, e.g., like exists on my iPhone, a client could see me type in my password, steal the rm2, and then have access to my whole database of client notes. (It hurts to imagine how bad that could be.) If it’s a matter of having a long password I have to tap in, that could be time comsuing in front of a client.
Unfortunately the only security on the rm2 is a 4-digit pass code that you have to type in after waking up the device (you can simply tap the power button to knock it into sleep mode when you leave the room).
If it were stolen, it wouldn’t be simple to bypass the security but someone who knows what they’re doing and with enough inclination would be able to access the files (there’s no encryption). Given enough time, it could also be accessed with brute force (trying out every single combination of 4 digit numbers) although each wrong attempt has a lockout duration of an hour. If they knew your myremarkable password (for example if your laptop/computer was also stolen and you were logged in or had the password saved) they could also access your files this way.
While I can see the value in what is available now with RM2, I do not agree with two of the points on a blacklight and faster internals not being needed. I would also say that the Kindle Scribe is a good look at what some improved hardware would bring.
The Kindle Scribe is not the same software platform as the Remarkable, but if you look at the hardware there are some advantages. 1) The screen is higher resolution and overall, a shaper and better image to use and write with. 2) The processor is faster and things such as changing pages or anything just happen faster, and it is noticeable. 3) The backlight does not make someone use it further away, and in fact makes it easier to use in lower light situations or when it is dark. Plus, you can adjust the temperature and brightness I believe to fit your needs.
These three items would be a solid win for a RM3 device without the need to change anything else. 1) Higher resolution screen, 2) Faster processing, 3) Controlled backlight. Even keeping the same shape and design as the RM2 so current items work the same such as covers and accessories would be a solid win IMO.
You raise some good and valid points, Will – cheers for commenting 🙂
Thanks for a great article. How many pdf’s and notes can be stored on the RM2?
It depends how big they are. The rM2 has about 8Gb of storage, so assuming the average ebook is about 2.5Mb in size, that’s over 3000 ebooks. Not sure on the size of a notebook but I’ve heard it’s about 1Mb per page, so that would be 80 100-page notebooks, I guess. I’d say most people won’t run out of storage unless they are making a lot of notebooks and/or have a lot of ebook that are heavy in graphics.
The reMarkable 2 fits the market really well right now. I fully agree that new hardware is not what’s needed until there’s a usable colour eInk display, with reasonable contrast and refresh rates. The current model has a very keen focus on easy note taking, long battery life, simplicity, and elegance. Adding Word, backlight, YouTube or Outlook simply does not fit the purpose of the device. Adding better search, better handwriting recognition would. Colour might.