At the time of the original announcement, Kindle fans affected by this had a few months to prepare for this big change. But now time is running out till the big shutoff with just weeks left till this change is enforced on August 17.
If you’re wondering whether you’re affected here are the Kindle models losing this crucial feature…
Kindle (2nd Gen) International, Kindle DX International, Kindle Keyboard, Kindle (4th Gen), and Kindle (5th Gen)
If you have a Kindle that’s affected by this upcoming change you have a few options. You can either continue using it and just purchase ebooks online, and then send them to your device from the Amazon website. Or, alternatively, you can upgrade. Right now Amazon isn’t running a sale on its Kindle range but you can get three months’ worth of free Kindle Unlimited with new Kindles.
This offers a saving of almost £24 on the service which lets you access a library of over a million ebooks. So while you can’t get a price cut on the device of your choosing you can get plenty to read for free.
You just need to answer a few questions online, and then you’ll be able to send your old Kindle back to Amazon free of charge and then get a voucher later on.
If you want to do this head to this site where you can also trade-in old Echo, Fire tablets and Fire sticks. You can also trade-in old Ring gadgets as well as smartphones and consoles. The oldest Kindle you can trade-in is the 3rd gen keyboard model, with 4th and 5th gen devices along with ones onwards available for trade-in.
Amazon also has a dedicated website to help guide through any Kindle users affected by this upcoming change.
The other option, if you fancy a change, is to switch to a different ereader – with Kobo the standout candidate if you want a non-Kindle device.
Amazon also offers a trade-in programme which lets you return old devices to get money off new ones.
There are a few major differences between a Kobo and Kindle, with the Rakuten-made ereader able to supporting a wide range of ebook formats.
This means you aren’t tied to just one online store for your ebooks, and can shop around at a variety of marketplaces.
Also, none of the Kobo ereaders feature adverts, so you won’t see any promotions on your sleep screen – instead you’ll get a cover of the most recent book you’re reading which is a nice touch.
If you want to purchase a Kobo then head to the official store online. The cheapest model is the Kobo Nia which is priced at £89.99 while the Kobo Clara HD – which is the Rakuten ereader that’s akin to a Kindle Paperwhite – is £119.99.
