That Kindle device you’ve been holding on to for 15 years has reached its expiration date, as Amazon is ending support for Kindle models from 2012 or earlier on Wednesday. Books you’ve already downloaded to your Kindle device won’t disappear on Wednesday, but you won’t be able to connect to the network to buy, borrow or download new ones.
If you still have a book you want to finish reading on one of these devices, make sure you don’t unregister the device or do a factory reset. But Amazon says that if you unregister or reset the device, you won’t be able to re-register or use it at all after that.
“These models have been supported for at least 14 years — another 18 years — but technology has come a long way in that time, and these devices will no longer be supported going forward,” an Amazon spokesperson told CNET. “We appreciate those who are still using them and are offering promotions to help with the transition to new devices.”
If you’re looking for a new Kindle model or a different reading tablet, check out CNET’s list of the best e-readers.
Changing devices
Kindle and Kindle Fire devices released in 2012 or earlier will lose the ability to download books after Wednesday. The devices that will be affected are:
- E-Readers: Kindle 1st Gen (2007), Kindle DX and DX Graphite (2009 and 2010), Kindle Keyboard (2010), Kindle 4 (2011), Kindle Touch (2011), Kindle 5 (2012), Kindle Paperwhite 1st Gen (2012)
- Tablets: Kindle Fire 1st Gen (2011), Kindle Fire 2nd Gen (2012), Kindle Fire HD 7 (2012), Kindle Fire HD 8.9 (2012)
The first-gen Kindle was released in 2007, and e-readers have improved a smidge since then. Amazon told Engadget that less than 3% of its users still use these older devices. (Amazon offers a recycling service for old devices.)
In an email to customers, the company said users will still be able to access their Kindle library and the Kindle Store using Android, iOS or the desktop app. You can also read and download books using the Kindle app on your phone or PC.
Nathan Proctor, executive director of the Right to Repair campaign at consumer advocacy group PIRG, told CNET that consumers should be able to maintain and use their products for a long time. “We throw away a lot of electronics, a lot of which we should be able to repair or refurbish,” he said.
Stacey Higginbotham, chief of technology advocacy policy at Consumer Reports, said removing support for the devices is not good for consumers. “We think that connected devices are wired as modems by software at their manufacturer,” Higginbotham told CNET. “There is a lack of clarity about the protections offered to consumers who buy software. But the risks are becoming more apparent.”
If this loss of service sounds like a good time to step away from the Kindle world, there are other e-reader options. Caliber is a free, open-source ebook manager that offers many features, such as reading and editing ebooks from multiple sources, as well as downloading news articles and websites.
