Switching from Kindle to Kobo: benefits, limits, and the reality of device obsolescence

Amid Amazon’s move to discontinue software support on 13 devices, including several Kindles, readers are weighing a switch to Kobo. Kobo often matches Kindle on speed and usability and adds features Kindle lacks—page-turning buttons on the Libra Colour, Libby/Overdrive integration, and lower color-model prices—but switching isn’t a guaranteed fix for obsolescence: both brands periodically retire devices and stop updates, and you can’t transfer Kindle purchases to Kobo due to DRM (your books stay tied to the Kindle ecosystem or the Kindle app). If you stick with Kindle, you can still use older devices offline or consider a used Kindle; otherwise, Kobo offers strong advantages with the caveat of future updates and DRM constraints.