Several Kindle eBook readers will lose access to the Amazon store in August, after which time users will not be able to buy any new eBooks using the device itself.

Users have started to receive emails from Amazon explaining which Kindles are affected.

The Kindles that will be denied access to the online store from August are:

  • Kindle (2nd Gen) International
  • Kindle DX International
  • Kindle Keyboard
  • Kindle (4th Gen)
  • Kindle (5th Gen)

You won't have received an email unless you have one of the above linked to your Amazon account.

The reason why this unprecedented step has been taken is unclear. Good E-Reader suggests it could be a TLS (Transport Layer Security) issue. Amazon may not be able to upgrade those devices to the latest TLS specifications for online privacy. However, that's just speculation at present.

In reality, those devices will not be able to purchase eBooks directly, but users will be able to buy them from their local Amazon retailer website and have them automatically loaded onto an older Kindle using the "deliver to" button on the page.

Existing eBooks on one of the affected Kindles will remain installed too.

If you're looking to upgrade your Kindle though, we suggest checking out our handy guide on the latest Amazon Kindle models here.