Amazon’s been offering a version of its Kindle app through the Windows Store since Windows 8 was released. But now the company is scrapping that version of its app and instead recommending Windows users install the Kindle for PC desktop app, which is compatible with Windows 7 or later.
Have a Windows RT tablet? Then Amazon says you should just use the Kindle Cloud Reader web app.
Amazon says it will remove its Kindle app from the Windows tore on October 27th, 2016.
Left: Kindle for Windows 8 // Right: Kindle for PC
There’s good news for folks that don’t want to give up on the tablet-friendly, Windows Store app: if you already have it installed, you’ll be able to continue using it to download and read Kindle eBooks.
But if you uninstall the app or try to set up a new computer, you won’t be able to download it again.
The move comes at a time when Microsoft is trying to encourage developers to bring existing desktop (and Android, iOS, and web) apps to the Windows Store. So it’s interesting to see Amazon decide to kill off its app, which it continues to refer to as “Kindle for Windows 8,” even though it’s also capable of running on Windows RT and Windows 10.
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Bizarre – even if for whatever reasons they’d rather develop the Win32 version now that Windows on ARM is dead, they could still distribute through Windows Store now that Win32 apps are allowed. Also bizarre if the new version isn’t touch or tablet friendly.
This is why I don’t buy DRM books – I’m not having a company pull the plug on what I can use to read!
An interesting question if you did get the plug pulled on you: would you still have the right to access the content through some other means? Courts have seemed to support limited usage like “backups”. A lot will depend on the exact license agreement, but few that I’ve read have explicitly mentioned the day they go out of business or decide to cut ties like this.
Or you could just use Kindle Cloud Reader in a modern browser https://read.amazon.com/.
Not really a huge surprise. Trying to convince devs that being subject to the whims of Microsoft approving your app and being willing to give them a cut of profit – never saw the point. Though I’m sure big players like Amazon have been given a pass there is nothing really to entice the to be there. Best case scenario is that it takes off and becomes huge and then in a few years when they ‘need’ to be on that platform they won’t be getting any more free pass. Made more sense if mobile took off. But now MS is back to the chicken and egg problem.Devs didn’t flock to Apple App Store or even Google Play Store out of choice. It was the only route to their customers. Not the case with Windows Store. Been surprised to see the uptake it has had to this point. Don’t think… Read more »
MS is still doing well with Office 365, server software, its cloud services suite, but you’re right, the cat was already out of the bag when it comes to Windows apps, and it’s going to be a painful business trying to stuff it back in.
But they have time, because their dominant Windows 10 platform buys them time – several years, at least — and they have every incentive to keep trying, of course. I suspect that eventually, it will work. As much as power users might pooh-pooh the idea, most ordinary users would be perfectly happy if their apps installed on Windows like they do on their mobile devices, without all those extra panels and options to sort through. I think developers will also come around eventually, once the conditions and the price is right, and it’s in Microsoft’s interest to get them right.
I agree they do have time to sort it. I don’t necessarily think they will but I also don’t firmly think they won’t.
They do have extremely deep pockets. And while I think Windows is perhaps yesterday’s solution to yesterday’s problems it is one large beast. The inertia of their historical dominance means they will continue as a market leader for years to come.
If things continue as they are I give them perhaps 10 years or maybe a little less for Windows. I give selling Office a bit less as a major earner.
The death of Microsoft/Windows has too often been announced! Windows will be around in one form or by any other name for way longer than people give it credit for!
Windows, yes. The Windows Store and Microsoft’s mobile ambitions? Maybe not so much.
MS has other plays besides Windows and you’ll note that is where they are making big investments. Windows is still around now in the strength that it is due to historical dominance. They get better third party driver support due to that dominance. That driver support helps their product a great deal.However Android is a big problem for them. It’s a massive beast itself and as it moves to desktop capability you will see manufacturers support it. Windows needs to convince its large scale business customers to invest in Windows again going forward. There is more and more competition and fewer and fewer reasons to stay with Windows every day in that regard.It’s a shrinking village. Now it was/is a massive village so the inertia means it will be a long, long road to demise. They will maintain market leadership for quite a few years more just due to that.… Read more »
I have 2 factor verification installed on my amazon account – and there’s no way to verify identity through the Kindle for Windows 8 app. Every time I try it fails. So … yeah. Not a surprise.
Which is a shame, because back when intel when subsidizing Atom processors, tons of cheap 8″ devices were released which would make excellent ereaders.
so you may use the destop app instead
Amazon needs a tying to Windows whether they admit or or not! App, clod or whatever. I will not unload the kindle app any day soon. I have it on 3 lap tops, 4 kindles and 5 family phones just in my house alone? If just 1 out of 5 people are like me, that’s a lot of devices that will be keeping their apps with windows!
Windows 8 Metro Tiles killed the WinTel PC! Windows 8 Metro Tiles Sucks! I don’t blame Amazon for discontinuing an app for Microsoft’s dead ‘Modern UI’ platform. Why spend hundreds of dollars for a WinTel PC to run apps, when you an run them just fine on a $49 Kindle Fire tablet?
There’s really no good way to read Kindle books on a Windows tablet. The desktop app is horrible when it comes to touch support, even for a desktop app. While designed for tablets, the Windows 8 app feels like it hasn’t been updated in years. The Cloud Reader isn’t really an option if you’re not connected to the internet. Alternative readers an option but bring questions of support and legality.
Amazon really needs to up its game if it wants eBooks to take off. At this point they’re far too expensive and not portable enough to take seriously.