Originally published at: https://therestartproject.org/right-to-repair/amazon-ends-support-for-older-kindles/
Amazon has announced that from the 20th of May it will stop supporting all Kindle and Kindle Fire devices it released in 2012 or earlier. So what does this mean for people who still use these devices? And how does it fit into the wider issue of software obsolescence?
What this means for older Kindles
Amazon’s decision means that affected Kindles will no longer be able to purchase, borrow, or download new content via the Kindle store.
According to Amazon, the devices affected are:
- Kindle: Kindle 1st Generation (2007), Kindle DX and DX Graphite (2009 and 2010), Kindle Keyboard (2010), Kindle 4 (2011), Kindle Touch (2011), Kindle 5 (2012), and Kindle Paperwhite 1st Generation (2012)
- Kindle Fire Tablets: Kindle Fire 1st Gen (2011), Kindle Fire 2nd Gen (2012), Kindle Fire HD 7 (2012), Kindle Fire HD 8.9 (2012)
These devices aren’t necessarily obsolete. If you own one, (and it’s registered) you’ll still be able to read books you’ve already downloaded. But you’ll need to use the Kindle mobile app, website or a newer Kindle to purchase or access any new content from Amazon.
You could choose to install an alternative operating system to use your Kindle device with books in other formats. But bear in mind that if an affected device is deregistered or factory reset you won’t be able to re-register it after the May deadline. This could prevent you from opening any previously downloaded ebooks purchased from Amazon.
Your best option is probably to buy books from other sources, using third party software to convert and transfer them to your Kindle. The most popular way to do this is with the free and open source application Calibre. ZDNET has a handy guide for how this works.
Using other stores also allows you to support local bookshops, for example by purchasing ebooks via Bookshop.org.
If you’d like help to keep your Kindle working, visit one of our London Fixing Factories or a local community repair event. Repair volunteers should be able to advise you on your options, including on how to use an alternative operating system.
We’ve seen it all before
As we told the BBC, this isn’t a new problem. Manufacturers of all kinds of products claim that new models provide better performance when they decide to stop supporting the devices they’ve already sold to consumers.
However, that’s hardly a good reason for soft-bricking millions of functional devices. Amazon revealed this “only” affects 3% of their current users – but this could amount to 2 million devices rendered obsolete according to some estimates, potentially generating over 624 tons of e-waste, contradicting the company’s circular economy claims.
At the same time, Amazon is offering affected users a discount on new Kindles, implicitly inviting people to purchase a brand new device. For context, Amazon’s own data shows that manufacturing just one latest-generation device can produce over 70 kg of greenhouse gas emissions.
Software obsolescence is increasingly a concern. Just last year Microsoft ended support for hundreds of millions of computers running Windows 10. That’s why we advocate for consumers’ Right to Repair, so that we are in control of how long our products can last.