My annoyance regarding Amazon’s dickishness over e-books has rekindled this blog.
So, I’ve got an old version of the Kindle, and Amazon, who are suffering greatly with their finances, have decided that old versions like mine will no longer be supported.
“Affected devices include Kindle 1st and 2nd Generation, Kindle DX and DX Graphite, Kindle Keyboard, Kindle 4, Kindle Touch, Kindle 5, and Kindle Paperwhite 1st Generation.
To minimize any disruption, we're offering a promotional code for 20% off select new Kindle devices … as well as a £15 eBook credit … after purchasing a new device (valid through June 20th, 2026, 11:59pm PST - Terms and Conditions apply)”
Now, you might say that technology is brimming with built-in obsolescence (the vileness of smartphones being the most obvious example). But I would counter that the e-book was intended to replace a physical book. I’ve got an old copy of Rebel, by Bernard Cornwell, on my desk right now. The paper hasn’t combusted, the spine hasn’t shattered, and I don’t need a micro-transaction for a code to unlock it. It works just fine. It’s from 1994, a happy time when AI was fictional and nobody was trying to impose digital ID on us.
E-books, to my understanding, were technically just renting a book for life. But as they’re about 50-80% the cost of a proper book, have immediate delivery, and (most importantly for me) zero extra storage space, that’s fine for fiction and the occasional history.
But here’s the kicker. If you need to replace your e-reader to actually access them or buy more then it critically undercuts the value of the e-book. At the time of writing, Amazon has Kindle devices (e-readers) ranging from £95 to £380.
How long will the cheapest ones last before being replaced? No idea. Could be 3-4 years, could be a decade.
Meanwhile, my copy of Rebel (nearly finished it, very much enjoying the climax) is perfectly functional.
Why’s the old Kindle now obsolete? Probably for the same reason Amazon disabled downloading e-books via a wired connection, which is how I used to transfer files. For the convenience and financial advantage of the firm. I don’t mind a business making money, I do mind them needlessly turning my e-reader into a brick* so they can gouge cash from me.
*It still works, for now, but any problems won’t be remedied and a factory reset won’t mend it.
The promotional code and an e-book credit (contingent on buying a new device within a short time frame, because you’ve got to milk the Fear Of Missing Out) is up there with the Government’s new plan to ‘improve’ self-employed people’s lives by making tax returns, over a certain threshold, quarterly and require third party software.
Don’t make my life worse then claim it’s somehow an improvement. Don’t make my e-reader unable to download new books because you want more money then pretend a discount or credit makes up for it. Unless you want to give me a 100% e-reader discount, of course.
But, hey, you’ve got to find the money to fund another season of Rings of Power somewhere, right?
The irony here is that this, in a very small way, is just going to cost Amazon. Because I only have a Kindle all my e-books (most of the fiction I bought) was from them. When it comes to physical books I tend to split it between Amazon and Waterstones. And the latter have never screwed me over.
I’m not buying another e-reader for the privilege of being able to buy more e-books in the same way I’m not subscribing to Prime for the privilege of being able to shop at Amazon.
Thaddeus
