Having spent half of day on this weekend to download all of my 600 or so kindle books, Amazon will be removing the option to download Kindle eBooks via USB on February 26th, 2025. This means that you and me will no longer be able to download a file of their eBook, even with DRM restrictions. The only way to access purchased eBooks will be through Kindle devices and the Kindle app ecosystem.

This change is part of a larger trend towards digital rentals rather than digital ownership. Similar to Spotify, where users pay a monthly fee for access to music, Amazon is moving towards a model where users have temporary access to eBooks rather than owning them outright.

When we “buy” an eBook on Amazon, we are actually paying for a license to access it within their platform. Amazon can alter the terms of this access at any time, removing features or even removing books from your library. This shift towards a subscription-based model is becoming increasingly common, with convenience being prioritized over ownership.

If you want to truly own your digital books, options are limited. Some independent bookstores and publishers offer DRM-free eBooks, but these are becoming rare in the mainstream market. As consumers, it’s essential to be aware of these ownership shifts and support models that respect buyers’ rights.

The removal of the download option is a stark reminder that what you “buy” in the digital realm is often not truly yours. It’s a license or a service that can be revoked at any time. Before February 26th, you may want to download their eBooks while they still can, as a symbolic act of asserting ownership. The future of digital ownership is looking increasingly uncertain, and it’s crucial to be critical of these changes and seek out alternative models that prioritize ownership. For me personally, I believe that one day, blockchain based solutions will be the answer to verify and transfer ownership of products, only time will tell.