Amazon ended software support for Kindle devices released before 2013 on May 20, affecting models like the original Kindle, Kindle 2, Kindle DX, Kindle Keyboard, Kindle 4, Kindle Touch, and early Kindle Paperwhite. While these devices can no longer download new books, they aren't immediately obsolete. Users can continue reading existing libraries and sideload new ebooks via USB using tools like Calibre, or download free PDFs from sources like Project Gutenberg and the Internet Archive.
For those who've upgraded, old Kindles can be repurposed as low-power digital clocks, calendars, or dashboards thanks to their efficient displays. Amazon noted that affected models received support for 14-18 years and cited technological advances as the reason for ending support, impacting roughly 3% of active users.
Source: Engadget · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing