Amazon ends support for Kindle e-readers released in 2012 and before
Tech giant Amazon is ending support for Kindle e-readers released before 2012 today. While existing books remain readable, users will no longer be able to download new content from the Kindle Store.
The move has received immense backlash online. Loyal users are resisting the upgrade, praising older devices for their durability and physical page-turn buttons. Several say the Jeff Bezos company is contributing to e-waste.
Discontinuing support would render millions of Kindle devices obsolete, considering Amazon commands 72% of the e-reader market.
To keep the Kindles operational,
- Some users plan to disable Wi-Fi to protect their libraries.
- Others are sideloading books via USB cables and using open-source software like Calibre to bypass Amazon’s ecosystem entirely.
- Tech-savvy users are jailbreaking older models to make them run open-source viewers like KOreader.
Alternatively, users ready to upgrade can trade in any old Kindle to Amazon for a 20% discount on a new model, plus a gift card equivalent to the old device’s value.
However, independent hobbyists who repair and resell these older models on eBay expect their businesses to take a hit.