- Amazon has long offered a “Download & transfer via USB” option for your purchases.
- That option was removed for the most recent generation of Kindles, and is going away for old models on February 26.
- Amazon may be trying to close a piracy loophole, as the AZW3 files the tool generated where vulnerable to DRM-removal hacks.
Amazon Kindles are a lot like many other electronic devices, where users generally fall into two camps: those who operate the product within the manufacturer’s neatly manicured ecosystem, and those who go their own way. Just as some Android users might choose to forego the Play Store and acquire their apps from alternate sources, Kindle users have the option to sideload books over USB instead of buying them directly from Amazon. But this week we’re learning about one upcoming change to how Kindles work that threatens to be a bit annoying to users accustomed to operating outside the lines.
When the twelfth generation of Kindle hardware launched last fall, Amazon implemented a few changes that affect the way these e-readers are able to store and transfer content. That included not just forcing them to operate over USB as MTP devices, but also deprecating the Download & transfer via USB option that let users load officially purchased books from Amazon — going forward, those transfers are restricted to wireless data. So far, though, older Kindles have still been able to take advantage of this tool. That’s all about to change now, with Amazon shutting it off for everyone as of February 26.