Amazon hastily withdraws Assistive Reader from Kindle devices
In a surprising move, Amazon has recently removed the Assistive Reader feature from its 11th and 12th generation Kindle e-readers [1]. The feature, which allowed reading books aloud via Bluetooth, was introduced with the 5.18.4 firmware update but was quickly withdrawn after just a couple of days [2].
The exact reason for the sudden removal remains unclear, but it's speculated that technical or quality issues might be the culprit [3]. This assumption stems from recent reports suggesting concerns regarding quality control and feature stability on the latest Kindle generations. Furthermore, Amazon's product team has publicly stated their commitment to avoiding "cut corners," hinting that the removal might be a temporary measure until the feature can meet their standards.
As of now, there's no official announcement regarding the return of the Assistive Reader. However, given that Amazon has continued to update Kindle software and add audio features like Audible audiobook support on the same generation devices [2], it's plausible that they may revisit or improve assistive reading functionalities in the future.
It's worth noting that the Assistive Reader was removed remotely from the Amazon servers, and the feature still has a help file for how to use it.
Meanwhile, the latest software update (5.18.4) for these Kindles was released last week [5]. As for the customer reactions and feedback regarding the removal of the Assistive Reader feature, no specific information is available at this time.
Michael Kozlowski, a renowned writer in the field of audiobooks, e-books, and e-readers, did not write about the recent removal of the Assistive Reader feature from Kindle e-readers. Kozlowski, who resides in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, has been writing in this domain for the past eighteen years.
The patch notes for Kindle software update 5.18.4 do not mention the Assistive Reader. On the Kindle e-reader, supported e-Books will have a read-aloud function with a generic AI voice.
References:
- Kindle Assistive Reader Removed After Brief Debut
- Kindle 11th and 12th Gen: A Closer Look at the New Features
- Amazon's Quality Control Concerns Raise Questions
- Michael Kozlowski: A Long-Standing Voice in the Digital Reading World
- Kindle Software Update 5.18.4: What's New?
- While Amazon withdrew the Assistive Reader feature from its latest Kindle e-readers, it seems that they are still pushing forward with new audio features, like Audible audiobook support, on the same devices.
- With the sudden removal of the Assistive Reader feature, it seems that smartphones and other gadgets might offer more reliable and stable text-to-speech solutions for readers who require assistive technology.
