Starting in May, pre-2013 Kindles won't be able to buy or download new books
Ars Technica • • general
Key Points:
- Amazon announced that starting May 20, owners of Kindle e-readers introduced in 2012 or earlier will no longer be able to buy or download books from the Kindle Store, though they can still read previously downloaded content.
- Affected devices include older models such as Kindle 1st and 2nd Generation, Kindle DX, Kindle Keyboard, Kindle Touch, and the 1st Generation Kindle Paperwhite, as well as some 2011-2012 Kindle Fire tablets.
- Devices reset to factory settings will lose the ability to sign back into Amazon accounts, effectively limiting their functionality for new purchases or downloads.
- Amazon is encouraging users to upgrade by offering a 20% discount on new Kindles and a $20 ebook credit for purchases made before June 20, with new devices starting at $110.
- The change follows previous reductions in support for older Kindles, including the loss of 3G connectivity and the removal of the ability to download books to a PC or Mac as of February 2025.
