That Kindle device you've been holding onto for 15 years has reached its expiration date, as Amazon ended support for Kindle models from 2012 or earlier on Wednesday. The books that you already downloaded on 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 deregister the device or do a factory reset. But Amazon says that if you deregister or reset the device, you won't be able to reregister it or use it at all afterward.
"These models have been supported for at least 14 years -- some as long as 18 years -- but technology has come a long way in that time, and these devices will no longer be supported moving forward," an Amazon spokesperson told CNET. "We are notifying those still actively using them and offering promotions to help with the transition to newer devices."
If you're looking for a newer Kindle model or a different reading tablet, check out CNET's list of the best e-readers.
Switching 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 in the time since. Amazon told Engadget that fewer than 3% of its users still use these old devices. (Amazon offers a recycling service for old devices.)
In the email to customers, the company said users will still be able to access their Kindle library and the Kindle store using the Android, iOS or desktop app. And you can still read and download books by using the Kindle app on your phone or PC.
Nathan Proctor, senior director for the Right to Repair campaign at the consumer advocacy group PIRG, told CNET that consumers should be able to maintain and use their products longer. "We dispose of way too many electronics, many of which we should be able to fix or update," he said.
Stacey Higginbotham, a policy fellow for tech advocacy at Consumer Reports, said removing support for the devices is hardly ideal for consumers. "We think of connected devices as being tethered by software to their manufacturer," Higginbotham told CNET. "There is a lack of clarity on the protections afforded to consumers who buy software-tethered devices. But the harms are becoming more clear."
If this service loss feels like a good time to move on from the Kindle world, there are other e-reader options. Calibre is a free, open-source ebook manager that offers a range of features, like reading and organizing ebooks from multiple sources, as well as downloading news articles and websites.