Kindle owners are furious over Amazon's plan to end support for older devices

Amazon is facing backlash from Kindle owners after notifying users this week that support for Kindle devices released in 2012 or earlier will end on May 20. The email sparked immediate panic online, with many readers initially fearing their beloved e-readers were about to stop working entirely — and others expressing frustration that devices they have used for more than a decade are effectively being pushed toward obsolescence. Much of the frustration seems less about the devices themselves and more about what they represent. Kindle owners repeatedly pointed out that their 2010 or 2011 devices still do the one thing they need them to do: read books. On Reddit, many users framed Amazon's move as another example of planned obsolescence and unnecessary e-waste, especially because these devices are otherwise fully functional. Some commenters on X and Threads said they were considering switching to Kobo rather than buying another Kindle, while others called the change "a nightmare" and "a hostile act of predatory capitalism." Across social media, readers described the move as a money grab. Some users said being nudged toward buying a new device, even with Amazon offering trade-in discou