Amazon is ending support for 8 Kindle models next month, and owners are rightfully frustrated

Amazon is pulling support for some of its oldest Kindle hardware. Starting May 20, e-readers and Kindle Fire tablets released in 2012 and earlier will no longer be able to purchase, borrow, or download new content directly from the Kindle Store. This marks the end of the line for some perfectly functional older Kindle models that, in some cases, have outlasted entire smartphone ecosystems. End-of-support got them in the end.

Affected models include the original Kindle (1st and 2nd generation), Kindle DX and DX Graphite, Kindle Keyboard, Kindle 4 and 5, Kindle Touch, and the first-generation Kindle Paperwhite. On the tablet side, it includes the first- and second-gen Kindle Fires, the Kindle Fire HD 7, and the Kindle Fire HD 8.9. Here's the full list of affected devices:

• Kindle (2007)
• Kindle 2
• Kindle DX
• Kindle DX Graphite
• Kindle Keyboard
• Kindle 4
• Kindle Touch
• Kindle 5
• Kindle Paperwhite (1st generation)
• Kindle Fire (1st generation)
• Kindle Fire (2nd generation)
• Kindle Fire HD 7
• Kindle Fire HD 8.9

After the cutoff, these devices won't shut down right away. Owners can still read books they already downloaded, so now is the time to stock up on e-books. Existing libraries will also be accessible through newer Kindle hardware, the Kindle mobile app, and Kindle for Web.

The harder pill to swallow is what happens if one of these devices is deregistered or factory reset after May 20. It cannot be re-registered, and deregistering it will render it unusable entirely. That detail has not gone down well with longtime Kindle users.

One Reddit user wrote, "I've had my Kindle for years, but it still works perfectly and continues to serve me well. How wasteful is it to make a product practically unusable in order to force people to buy a newer model."

To be honest, it is a fair point. Kindle is a single-purpose device, and for what it does, you do not need the latest processor or a high-end display. A Kindle from ten years ago displays books just as well as the latest model. However, some of these models have had support for at least 14 years, with some even 18 years, so an upgrade seems due. Amazon told Engadget that this move affects only about 3% of its current users.

Those on affected devices will receive 20% off select new Kindle models and a $20 e-book credit. Both will be automatically added to their accounts when they purchase a new Kindle. For those too attached to let go, sideloading should still allow books to be loaded manually onto older hardware, though it won't be as seamless as buying directly from the Kindle Store.