The reMarkable 2 E Ink Tablet Isn’t for Everyone and That’s Alright

reMarkable recently launched its currently available paper tablet called the reMarkable 2 in India. This isn't a brand-new model, but one that has been available in select markets across the globe since 2020. The reMarkable 2 tablet is priced at Rs. 43,999 in India, which includes the Marker Plus pen. The more rounded bundle is priced at Rs. 53,999. This bundle includes a reMarkable paper tablet, the Marker Plus pen and the Book Folio. The Type Folio, which has a built-in keyboard, was launched in 2023 and retails for an additional Rs. 19,499. While the reMarkable 2 resembles a regular tablet in form, its user-experience is not even remotely close to an iPad (or even a budget Android tablet) in function.

It does not run a popular mobile operating system, does not support any third-party apps and only connects to the internet for syncing notes. There's no web-browsing capability, no colour display and not even a backlight. The device according to the company is meant to be a focussed reading and writing tool for ideating and supports several software features (handwriting recognition and more), to pull off the same without any notifications to disturb your thought process. reMarkable basically prides itself on its well-researched design and cuts down on all the usual extras (camera, speakers etc.), which has resulted in a tablet that is very thin (4.7mm), light (403 grams) and replicates a paper-like surface with its large 10.3-inch monochrome display, for those who love handwritten notes.

So, what makes this pen and paper replacement so special and who is it for? I spoke to Henrik Faller, Vice President of Communications at reMarkable, for some answers.

Who is your target audience with the reMarkable 2 for India?

We have seen major consumer interest from India, which also has a very high-tech adoption. Our research also shows that many Indians today are willing to spend their money on premium products. This would mainly consist of “knowledge workers”. These are people who work in offices and have habits or use cases where they take notes and need to capture their thoughts, process them and elevate their work. These could be engineers, managers, those in marketing, or anyone who takes notes in their line of work. This could also include students, but they are more of a secondary target audience (because of purchasing power).

What about after-sales support and service?

Service is also the reason why we have taken time to launch in India. Service and customer care are really important to us. If customers have issues, they can either reach out to Amazon, where there is a team in place to help them, or they can reach out directly via our webpage. If a product is completely broken or damaged, and it's within the warranty period, then it might get replaced, depending on the policy. If the product is damaged and needs to be repaired, the customer should reach out to our customer service, and we will try to figure out how to fix it. We aspire to be very customer-friendly.

The reMarkable 2 paper tablet with the Type Folio and Marker Plus pen accessories

Does the reMarkable 2 support any Indian languages?

We currently don't have support for Hindi today, but hopefully, this is something we can support in the future. The currently available operating (or system) language is English only, but the built-in software keyboard currently supports 20 languages. Handwriting conversion also supports a few languages for now.

Does the reMarkable 2 support voice dictation?

No, the reMarkable 2 does not have a built-in mic or a speaker. This is because it is a product that is solely focused on writing and taking notes via the pen or its keyboard. However, the companion mobile app, which is available on Android, can convert speech to text and once synced to the cloud (which happens instantly), it can be downloaded to the reMarkable 2 for edit or further ideation. We think that it does not make much sense to include a microphone and speakers on the paper tablet because it is meant to be a third device, which will be used along with a phone, laptop or desktop, mainly for focused writing or ideation.