Many e-readers of the American giant will soon benefit from a software update. It will not be a question of correcting some technical bugs but of improving their interface for more comfort.
Some updates stand out more than others, especially when they are rare. This is the case for Amazon, which is preparing to deploy a welcome update for its Kindle tablets in the coming weeks. A first for years! This new version of the internal system will significantly improve navigation in the interface of the device. It is above all a matter of improving user comfort even if these e-readers are already easy to handle. An update that will delight the millions of users of the king of the e-reader who, with aggressive prices (the first Kindle model is available for less than 80 euros and even less than 60 euros during one-off promotions) occupied according to the cabinet Statista, the first place of the podium in France in May 2020 with 63% of market share. Kobo, its main rival (owned by the Japanese Rakuten) had to settle for 33%.
What’s New in the Kindle Update?
To simplify operations, the Kindle interface will have a navigation bar with two tabs at the bottom of the screen. It will allow you to move quickly from the home page to the library and vice versa.
Likewise, Amazon has simplified access to useful functions such as airplane mode, Bluetooth connection, synchronization or even the settings or the brightness slider. From now on, it will be enough to press on a big arrow nested at the top of the screen to reveal a pane of settings (a little like on Android).
Amazon is planning more updates by the end of the year. Here again, it is the navigation functions that will be improved. It will be possible to swipe to display recently read books in the library by simply swiping the screen to the left from the home page. This same library will also benefit from filtering functions by collection and will be adorned with an “interactive scroll bar”. The American has remained fairly discreet about the real contribution of this latest improvement.
Which Kindle e-readers can benefit from the update?
Not all Kindle models are affected by the update. The devices capable of taking advantage of this are the Kindle 8e generation and later, Kindle PaperWhite 7e generation and later, as well as Kindle Oasis. These are therefore mainly models released less than six years ago, which still covers a very large number of copies. If you just bought a Kindle or if you are going to buy one soon, it will obviously be compatible with the new version of the system. But this version will probably not be installed at the factory (normal, it takes a while to renew the stock with updated models that left the factory). You will therefore have to perform the update yourself, either automatically or manually (see below).
When will the Kindle update be available?
The Kindle update is being rolled out in the United States. It should be available in France in the coming weeks, at the end of September and in October. To receive and install the update automatically as soon as it becomes available, all you have to do is leave your e-reader connected to the Wi-Fi network with enough battery and enough available storage space (around 300 MB). However, the more impatient can already benefit by downloading the update file from the Amazon site and then installing it manually on the eReader. A relatively simple operation that can be performed with a Mac or a PC.
If you don’t want to wait for your Kindle e-reader to update automatically, you can already download the necessary file and install it manually on your device.
- With your usual web browser, first go to the page from the Amazon site to clearly identify the Kindle e-reader model you have.
- Once the model is identified (and compatible), go to Amazon page which references the updates available for your eReader. The version being deployed is number 5.13.7. Download the update file. It has the .bin extension.
- Once the file has been transferred to the computer, connect your eReader to one of the available USB ports using the cable provided and switch it on. When the eReader appears in Windows File Explorer or macOS Finder, copy the downloaded .bin file to the eReader. Be careful, do not copy it in one of its folders but at the “root”, at the first level.
- When the file is copied, disconnect the eReader from the computer. The message Update available should appear on the screen. Then press To restart to apply the update immediately.
- Your eReader will then restart. Allow the operation to proceed to completion without switching off the device. It may take several minutes.
- After installation, the eReader will restart again to take over the update. Wait a few seconds. When everything is ready, you can enjoy the update and new features announced above. Good reading !
