Amazon will end support for older Kindle models released before or during 2012 starting May 20, leaving longtime ebook fans unable to access new content from the Kindle store. According to The Guardian, devices affected include early models such as the Touch and some Fire tablets, with up to two million e-readers potentially impacted.
Key Takeaways
Amazon will stop supporting older Kindle models released before or during 2012 starting May 20, affecting up to two million devices and leaving users unable to access new content from the Kindle store.
- Amazon ends support for Kindles released in 2012 or earlier
- Affected models include early Kindles like Touch and some Fire tablets
- Users can still read downloaded ebooks but cannot purchase or download new ones
- Discounts offered to transition to newer devices, with factory resets making affected Kindles unusable
- Critics accuse Amazon of creating unnecessary electronic waste
Users will still be able to read previously downloaded ebooks, but they won't be able to purchase or download new ones. Amazon has offered discounts to active users to help transition to newer devices. However, performing a factory reset on affected Kindles would render them unusable, as reported by The Guardian.
Disappointed users have expressed their frustration online, with some accusing Amazon of causing large-scale waste and reducing functional devices to paperweights. Ugo Vallauri of the Restart Project told the BBC that this change could generate over 624 tons of e-waste, despite affecting only about three percent of current users.
Tech industry analyst Paolo Pescatore noted that while the decision may frustrate owners of still-functioning models, it is understandable from a security and support perspective. The affected devices were built for a different era and are not equipped to run newer, more data-hungry services and features, according to The Guardian.
An Amazon spokesperson stated that the affected models have been supported for at least 14 years, with some as long as 18 years. The company emphasized that technology has advanced significantly in that time, making continued support for these older devices no longer feasible.
How this summary was created
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