Amazon Ends Support for Older Kindle Models, Sparking User Backlash

Amazon has announced that it will soon end support for older Kindle models, a move that has prompted user outcry. The tech giant has informed affected users via email, thanking them for being longtime Kindle customers but stating that devices released during or before 2012 will no longer receive updates from May 20.

The decision means that owners of older Kindles, including the earliest models such as the Kindle Touch and some Kindle Fire tablets, will be unable to download new e-books. Amazon has offered discounts to active users of affected models to help them transition to newer devices.

Affected Devices

According to Amazon, the following models will be affected: Kindle 1st Generation, Kindle DX and DX Graphite, Kindle Keyboard, Kindle 4, Kindle Touch, Kindle 5, and Kindle Paperwhite 1st Generation, as well as Kindle Fire 1st Gen, Kindle Fire 2nd Gen, Kindle Fire HD 7, and Kindle Fire HD 8.9.

Users will still be able to read e-books they have already downloaded, and their accounts and Kindle Library will remain accessible on the mobile and desktop app. However, performing a factory reset on affected Kindles will make them unusable.

Some users have expressed concern and frustration over the decision, with one user stating, "I have a Kindle Touch that I've had since 2013, it works great, I bought a book on it a few months ago, and suddenly it's obsolete." Another user questioned the need for updates, saying, "A Kindle is a text device! There is no need for updates."

Response from Users and Experts

Kay Aaronricks, a 46-year-old Kindle user, told the BBC that she was surprised by Amazon's announcement and the sadness that came with the thought of potentially losing full use of her 14-year-old Kindle. She expressed concern about being forced to give up a device that works perfectly and noted that newer Kindle devices often come with adverts, which might alter the reading experience.

Tech industry analyst Paolo Pescatore said that while Amazon's move may frustrate owners of models that still work, the decision is understandable from a security and support perspective. However, Ugo Vallauri, co-director of the Restart Project, criticized the decision, saying that it could generate over 624 tons of e-waste and render up to 2 million devices obsolete.