

Amazon's Kindle e-reader is that rare bit of technology that doesn't really age. Sure, there are occasional hardware and software upgrades to make newer models more attractive – so for example I love the warm white backlight in the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, although not enough to replace my trusty Kindle Oasis (2019) – but provided the battery's still good there's never really much need for you to upgrade from what you've got.
Until now.
Later this year, Amazon is going to make a software change that'll remove a really important feature from its oldest Kindles. They're not going to suddenly stop working or zap your e-book library, but you'll lose access to the Kindle store on your device. The good news is that Amazon will soften the blow by giving you free money and ebooks if you upgrade to a newer model.
Which Kindles are affected, and what's Amazon offering?
The affected devices are the 5th Generation Kindle and earlier models. In tech terms these are positively ancient devices – the 5th-gen Kindle came out in 2012 – and if you've got one registered to your Amazon account then you should have, or soon will have, an email from Amazon telling you about the change. I haven't received mine yet – mine is a four-Kindle family, with older ones passed down to the kids when the adults upgrade – so it looks like the mails are going out to US customers first.
The deal Amazon is offering is a good one: its email includes a promo code for 30% off a new Kindle and $40 in ebook credit. If you decide after all these years to go for the best Kindle available, the latest generation of Kindle Oasis with 32GB of storage and Audible audiobook support, that's a saving of nearly $80/£80, and it's a better deal than we saw in last year's Prime Day discounting so it's definitely worth taking advantage of Amazon's deal.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
Writer, musician and broadcaster Carrie Marshall has been covering technology since 1998 and is particularly interested in how tech can help us live our best lives. Her CV is a who’s who of magazines, newspapers, websites and radio programmes ranging from T3, Techradar and MacFormat to the BBC, Sunday Post and People’s Friend. Carrie has written more than a dozen books, ghost-wrote two more and co-wrote seven more books and a Radio 2 documentary series; her memoir, Carrie Kills A Man, was shortlisted for the British Book Awards. When she’s not scribbling, Carrie is the singer in Glaswegian rock band Unquiet Mind (unquietmindmusic).
-
LG’s new mini-LED TVs include a wire-free wonder
LG's 2025 Evo QNED TVs include a 100-inch model and one with LG's True Wireless connectivity
By Carrie Marshall
-
New Xbox controllers could embrace tech Google ditched years ago
Rumours abound that Microsoft will launch three new controllers, one with Cloud Gaming at its heart
By Rik Henderson
-
Kindle Scribes just got an AI upgrade to make them way more powerful
Notebook summaries get a boost
By Max Freeman-Mills
-
A foldable Kindle Colorsoft could be next, after the launch of the "world's first" folding colour reader
The MooInk V has a folding E Ink display that can survive 200,000 bends
By Carrie Marshall
-
The Galaxy Tab S10 FE might be Samsung's best-value tablet yet
A great new semi-premium entrypoint
By Max Freeman-Mills
-
I tried a cutting-edge Asus gaming tablet, but it's left me conflicted
The Asus ROG Flow Z13 (2025) is impressive, but also weird
By Max Freeman-Mills
-
Amazon just gave some Kindle Scribe owners a great free upgrade
The new device's AI features are coming to UK users
By Max Freeman-Mills
-
I tested every new Kindle in 2024 – this is the one I'd buy, and why
These e-readers all make a case for themselves
By Max Freeman-Mills
-
Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review: don't write it off
The Scribe is a well-made curio once again
By Max Freeman-Mills
-
Amazon Kindle (2024) review: an affordable wonder
The standard Kindle is still a winner
By Max Freeman-Mills