Amazon has announced it will stop supporting older Kindle models, leaving up to 2 million e-readers unable to access new content from the Kindle store from 20 May. The affected devices include those released during or before 2012, such as the Kindle Touch and some early Fire tablets.
Users will still be able to read previously downloaded ebooks and access their accounts via mobile and desktop apps. Amazon is offering discounts to help users transition to newer devices, but warns that performing a factory reset on affected Kindles will render them unusable.
Disappointed users have voiced frustration online, accusing Amazon of causing large-scale waste. Ugo Vallauri of the Restart Project noted that while the change affects only 3% of users, it could generate over 624 tons of e-waste. Tech analyst Paolo Pescatore said the decision is understandable from a security perspective, as older hardware cannot support newer services.
An Amazon spokesperson stated that the models have been supported for at least 14 years, but technology has advanced significantly, necessitating the end of support.
