Amazon is facing backlash from Kindle users after notifying them this week that support for Kindle devices released in 2012 or earlier will cease on May 20. The announcement sparked panic online, with many worrying their e-readers would become inoperable and others upset that their decade-old devices are being ushered toward obsolescence.
The discontent appears to arise more from what the devices symbolize than the devices themselves. Kindle owners mentioned that their 2010 or 2011 devices still fulfill their main function: reading books. On Reddit, users characterized Amazon’s choice as planned obsolescence and needless e-waste, considering that the devices are still operational. Some users on X and Threads contemplated switching to Kobo rather than purchasing another Kindle, while others referred to the change as “a nightmare” and “a hostile act of predatory capitalism.”
Throughout social media, the action was labeled a money grab. Some users felt that being urged to buy a new device, even with Amazon providing trade-in discounts, was disconnected from the reality of those who can’t justify replacing a functioning device.
Longtime Kindle enthusiasts expressed anger over losing older models with physical page-turn buttons, which they deem more comfortable and durable than newer touchscreen versions. For others, the news was more about the surprise that some 15-year-old Kindles are still functioning sufficiently to not require replacement, a rarity in consumer electronics.
Some users highlighted that this isn’t the end, as many are sharing solutions involving jailbreaking, USB transfers, sideloading, and programs like Calibre to manually transfer books onto their devices. Mashable’s e-reader expert, Samantha Mangino, noted that the affected Kindles aren’t being deactivated; service will simply be restricted. Users can still read downloaded books, but Libby users will forfeit the Send to Kindle feature.
For some Kindle fans, this change may prompt them to reevaluate Amazon and consider alternative e-reader options.