[yftsui]

It's definitely not "a decade". I have the 2013 Kindle Paper white and it doesn't have that feature without JB, the oldest device supported is Kindle Paperwhite 7th Gen which is released in 2019.

It's likely you are just lucky to buy a KPW with that feature just rolled out.

[ffsm8]

I cannot speak on when it was actually introduced.

I only added my experience because bongobingo said 2021 and cited a tabloid "article" as proof.

The feature definitely predates April 2021, how long? I have no idea, possibly only 6-7 months, as I bought mine in October 2020.

[bongobingo1]

Reddit nerds only notice in April 2021, https://old.reddit.com/r/kindle/comments/mo67x9/the_new_kind...

More "tabloids" in April 2021 https://www.tomsguide.com/news/amazon-kindle-update-adds-kil...

More nerds in August 2021, https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/30x1qmxj "the setting that was added a few months ago in Settings/Device Options to show the "Display Cover" of the book you are currently reading"

Amazon discussing rolling it out during ... April 2021, https://www.amazonforum.com/s/question/0D54P00008A1VpoSAF/di...

Maybe you were in a pre-release A/B or region, or simply didn't notice the update.

[goosedragons]

I think it's more likely you just didn't notice for 6-7 months. It's not just "tabloid" articles that noticed it in April 2021. This wasn't noticed by users on places like mobileread.com until April 2021 either and that place is comprised of some of the biggest eInk fans out there.

By all accounts your Oct. 2020 date is the earliest reported date for it being an official feature. Kobo has had it since day one in 2010, Kindle not so much.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4110557

[hiatus]

First archive of the amazon announcement page was in April 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210419114306/https://www.amazo...