Amazon's Kindle will soon support ePub files, but there's a catch

[nanoguy]

Why it matters: For years, Kindle users have been unable to buy books published in the ePub format and read them on their e-Reader — at least not without manually converting them to an Amazon-approved format. That is set to change later this year, but those hoping for native support for ePub will be disappointed.

Since the first generation Kindle launched in 2007, the brand has become almost synonymous with the term e-Reader. With the original Kindle and its later incarnations, Amazon also pushed its proprietary ebook formats onto users — a limitation that persists to this day.

Last weekend, a report from Good E-Reader offered a glimmer of hope that Amazon might soon start supporting ePub files. After 15 years of stubbornness towards a format that is supported and used by almost everyone else in the business of making eBooks and e-Readers, a small update in the official Kindle documentation seemed to indicate that users will be able to use books bought from competing services.

However, it turns out Amazon isn't adding native support for ePub files, but rather making it easier for non-technical users to convert ePub files into a Kindle-specific book file format. In other words, you'll soon be able to use the Send to Kindle feature to do something that normally requires a tool like Calibre, which isn't the most user-friendly software out there.

The new functionality is expected to land sometime later this year, but it isn't the only change that's coming. Amazon will also drop support for .mobi and .azw (essentially Amazon's rebranded version of .mobi) files. That means you'll still be able to access books using either one of these formats that are already on your Kindle, but you won't be able to load any new ones using the Send to Kindle feature.

Masthead credit: Felipe Pelaquim | Unsplash

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https://www.techspot.com/news/94443-amazon-kindle-soon-support-epub-files-but-there.html

 

[dualkelly]

The worst thing about the kindle is not the lack of epub support which Calibre truly is not that hard to figure out. Its the lack of nesting index so instead of hiding all the books under the authors they just show all the books. Truely a pain in the butt if you have a large library. The fires already fix this issue but having e-ink is the entire point of a kindle.

 

[yRaz]

The worst thing about the kindle is not the lack of epub support which Calibre truly is not that hard to figure out. Its the lack of nesting index so instead of hiding all the books under the authors they just show all the books. Truely a pain in the butt if you have a large library. The fires already fix this issue but having e-ink is the entire point of a kindle.

Literally the only reason I own a tablet is so I can read ePub books on it.

 

[TheBigT42]

This has got to be the one of the most click bait articles in a while...
"Amazon's Kindle will soon support ePub files"

But nope they are not

"but rather making it easier for non-technical users to convert ePub files into a Kindle-specific book file format."

 

[dualkelly]

Literally the only reason I own a tablet is so I can read ePub books on it.

why not a kobo? if your reading as much as I am then e-ink is going to make all the difference in the world.

 

[Squid Surprise]

It's why I use an iPad... also need the larger screen (I have the big Pro) as my eyes are crappy...

I kind of find it ironic that it's usually other companies yelling at Apple for using proprietary stuff - but for e-readers, Apple lets you use ePub and lets you use other apps to read any other formats...

Of course, I use Calibre to convert - but it is nice not to have to...

 

[Dd663]

I have a Kobo. I most likely won't be buying a Kindle if I get another e-reader, I'll just buy another Kobo.

I used Calibre years ago, though, and I don't recall anything about it not being user-friendly.

 

[dualkelly]

I have a Kobo. I most likely won't be buying a Kindle if I get another e-reader, I'll just buy another Kobo.

I used Calibre years ago, though, and I don't recall anything about it not being user-friendly.

Calibre is a little bit complex. I mean sure a quick covert is no big deal but if your converting thousands of books its rather powerful but that power comes with having to learn your way around the customization. It took me a few days to get it down good. Even though I use a kindle I refuse to buy from amazon ebook store when you have so much free sources of legal books one can read so I find myself downloading much of my books on epup format and covert them to .mobi to read on the kindle. Thousands of books never any issues its not that hard to do any of these things.

 

[DZillaXx]

It's why I use an iPad... also need the larger screen (I have the big Pro) as my eyes are crappy...

I kind of find it ironic that it's usually other companies yelling at Apple for using proprietary stuff - but for e-readers, Apple lets you use ePub and lets you use other apps to read any other formats...

Of course, I use Calibre to convert - but it is nice not to have to...

I tried using a normal tablet for reading, it is just not the same.

It just doesn't have that paper feeling to it, I'm a big fan of the kindle paper white. It is great for reading at night without keeping your partner up, and clear as day outdoors. I only wish there was a color option for more graphic content.

I never had a problem with not having epub, I welcome it. I have push a fair amount of content to it via the mobi format with send to kindle. Only wish they would improve how things are sorted. Not a huge deal for me, as I put content onto it as I read them vs loading it up with a bunch of crap. So nearly everything on the device has already been read.

 

[kiwigraeme]

Good news is high colour eink 300dpi is coming fairly soon

 

[bazz2004]

"high colour eink 300dpi is coming fairly soon"
It's been awaited for years now. There are colour eink readers but they never come up to expectations.
We need new screen technology developed by the big names in e-readers. It's a shame Sony dropped out of the market years ago.

 

[kiwigraeme]

"high colour eink 300dpi is coming fairly soon"
It's been awaited for years now. There are colour eink readers but they never come up to expectations.
We need new screen technology developed by the big names in e-readers. It's a shame Sony dropped out of the market years ago.

Do a search for

[HEADING=2]"E Ink Gallery 3" seems pretty good and should go mainstream[/HEADING]
[HEADING=2]hopefully - so PDF, Comics, Manga - here the holy grail .[/HEADING]
Sony's stuff was not cheap - so really hope this tech can bring in say a 10" reader at no more the $400 initially - pretty useless tech for mass market if more than that

 

[bazz2004]

If you want an e-reader other than from Kobo or Kindle with a large screen it will be expensive - even without colour. I shelled out for a Boyue Alita a couple of years ago. It cost more than an iPad. What I got was a reasonable but buggy large screen e-reader promising much but delivering little.

 

[bazz2004]

To get back on track, the Kindle is great if you are happy to buy all your books through Amazon or if you can convert epub books to Kindle format then side load them to your Kindle e-reader. One good thing about the Boyue is that you can read both epub and mobi files without using conversion software. It's a pity that mastering an Android tablet is more challenging by far than converting the files on a computer.

 

[bviktor]

Forget about the Kindle and get a Kobo. Kindle has always hated their users, and always will. What else would you expect from Amazon, seriously.

 

[torchyear]

Kobo user here - chose it over Kindle for epubs, like others mentioned.

I researched the e-ink landscape extensively beforehand, and wow I was amazed at how half-baked and fragmented the entire genre is. Remarkable and Boox products appear enticing, but still sound like prototypes being sold on sketchy distribution channels and beta tested using customers.

 

[BobHome]

It's why I use an iPad... also need the larger screen (I have the big Pro) as my eyes are crappy...

I kind of find it ironic that it's usually other companies yelling at Apple for using proprietary stuff - but for e-readers, Apple lets you use ePub and lets you use other apps to read any other formats...

Of course, I use Calibre to convert - but it is nice not to have to...

Yeah, I'm kind of surprised the EU hasn't got on Amazon's case about their closed eco-system.

 

[BobHome]

To get back on track, the Kindle is great if you are happy to buy all your books through Amazon or if you can convert epub books to Kindle format then side load them to your Kindle e-reader. One good thing about the Boyue is that you can read both epub and mobi files without using conversion software. It's a pity that mastering an Android tablet is more challenging by far than converting the files on a computer.

Another challenge for some could be their local library. Ours has Kindle format that goes through your Amazon account to download the books.

 

[Dd663]

Another challenge for some could be their local library. Ours has Kindle format that goes through your Amazon account to download the books.

Don't most libraries used Overdrive, which you need a Kobo e-reader for?

 

[kiwigraeme]

Yeah, I'm kind of surprised the EU hasn't got on Amazon's case about their closed eco-system.

It's a strange one Amazon sometimes sells it's devices near cost - so assumption is you are not buying a general purpose ereader - but a Amazon centric one . Nook Barns & Noble, Apple Ibooks .
So for Amazon pluses and minuses - as some people won't buy as want overdrive - access to free epubs etc .
So maybe this heading off deliberately limiting peoples use .
Saying that book readers are fairly smart - so most should learn about Calibre etc
I bought a Amazon refurnished Voyage the other day at $65 to gift ( I have a Kobo Sage ) - I saw I can send books by email to voyage - who knew

 

[kiwigraeme]

Another one of my ideas - you are free to patent and make mega bucks if not already done

Smart Colour Eink Universal Game Boards ( if already not patented )
can communicate by NFC or BT - pref powered by solar
Would be great for free world explorer/Dungeon Crawler
Built in NFC location sensors

This is definitely a product that should be made when tech comes cheap enough .
So feel free to patent

 

[Sir Sparkles]

If Amazon had been better with their terms and compatibility I would have played nicely and bought books from them too. But no... so in response my Kindle has never touched the internet and my Calibre library is larger than I'll be able to finish in my lifetime.

It's a shame more people don't resist greedy corporate tactics with their spending power.

 

[BobHome]

Don't most libraries used Overdrive, which you need a Kobo e-reader for?

They do, plus Kanopy and PDF books as well.
Ous uses Biblio Commons which seems pretty widespread and since they moved to it, I've noticed more & more books are 'Download to Kindle'.