Amazon introduces Kindle EPUB support in the most ‘Amazon’ way possible
Bezos makes the walls of his ebook garden slightly slippier
Amazon being Amazon
While the company has made it easier to put other company’s ebooks on Kindle devices, it’s not any easier to do the reverse.
Let me explain. Rather than supporting native EPUB files, Amazon is insteadconverting them to KF8 (or AZW3).
What this means is that if one day you decide to escape Amazon’s walled garden, it’s going to be tough (although not impossible) to get all your ebooks off the Kindle and onto another ereader.
But, of course, that’s what the company wants.
The Kindle is a popular device because it makes the digital reading experience so seamless. Features likeWhispersync(where you can move smoothly between a digital novel and an audio one), the ease of purchasing on the Kindle Store, and being able to read across multiple devices make the service ideal for most people.
Opening up EPUB ‘support’ in this most Amazon of ways is merely sating the small percentage of Kindle power users who like to get their books from elsewhere. Effectively, Bezos’ behemoth is sliding open the door a crack to let some air in, but not letting any out.
Story byCallum Booth
Callum Booth is a freelance journalist with over a decade of experience. Previously, he was the Managing Editor of TNW, where his reporting(show all)Callum Booth is a freelance journalist with over a decade of experience. Previously, he was the Managing Editor of TNW, where his reporting was cited widely, including in VICE, the FT, and the BBC.
Callum’s writing has appeared in The Verge, The Daily Telegraph, Time Out, and many more. He covers the full spectrum of technology, with a particular focus on how it shapes our daily lives. And a lot of regulation stuff too.
Outside of work, Callum’s an avid bookworm, a Fisherman’s Friends addict, and resolutely unshaven. Follow him on Twitter @CallumBooth or visit www.callumbooth.net.
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.
