Amazon Will Allow Opting Out of Ads on Kindle Fire for $15
Amazon last week enjoyed some time in the spotlight when it announced a mess of new Kindle devices. This included a brand new 7-inch Kindle Fire HD, a revamped Kindle Fire, a 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD and a new backlit Paperwhite Kindle. Not long after the new devices were announced, it emerged that the entire Kindle Fire line would be ad supported. Instead of specifying in the product title that users would be buying ad-supported devices, Amazon listed special offers and deals as a feature on the tablet. However, if you don't like this ad-supported Kindle model, the etailer will let you opt out. For a fee, of course.
According to TechCrunch Amazon will allow Kindle Fire owners to opt-out of the advertisements and special offers for a one-time fee of $15.
"We know from our Kindle reader line that customers love our special offers and very few people choose to opt out. We’re happy to offer customers the choice," a spokesperson is quoted as saying.
This isn't the first time Amazon has allowed customers to turn off advertisements on an ad-supported device. Last year, after the release of the $79 Kindle, the etail giant started to allow users to unsubscribe from Special Offers under the 'Manage My Devices' tab on Amazon. The fee to remove the subscription was $30.
While some folk don't mind seeing ads or special offers in the form of a screen saver, many are happier with a totally ad-free experience. When the pre-order pages for the new Kindle Fires hit the web, it looked like ad-free wasn't an option. We're sure a lot of people will be happy to know they can get rid of the offers for just $15 extra.
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Jane McEntegart is a writer, editor, and marketing communications professional with 17 years of experience in the technology industry. She has written about a wide range of technology topics, including smartphones, tablets, and game consoles. Her articles have been published in Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, MobileSyrup, and Edge Up.
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whiteodian $15 is a small price to pay to get rid of those Ads. If I were to buy one, It would be one of the first things I do with it.Reply -
Pennanen So i buy a device, then i buy e-books for it and on top of that i have to pay to not look at ads ?Reply
Right? -
freggo Hello Amazon, guess what... I allow you, FREE of charge, to keep your ad display device :-)Reply
What's next? Dell or Microsoft will charge us if we want to uninstall all those 'free samples' that come pre-installed ?
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alexmx PennanenSo i buy a device, then i buy e-books for it and on top of that i have to pay to not look at ads ?Right?Reply
No, you buy a discounted product that in exchange for said discount, displays ads when you're not using it "actively"
In other words, someone is paying those 15 usd with the condition to put their brand in it
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astonerii makes me feel better about the kindle... I was about to write them off as a never buy item. I am looking for a device to give my 1 year old for play. Something with a long battery life would be ideal. Something interactive. Something not too expensive.Reply -
bustapr even if I had the money to remove the ads, I wouldnt remove it. those ads give you really nice coupons and discounts. and they also dont bother you at all. anyone thinking the ads are like tv and hulu where youre interrupted is wrong. kindle ads dont work that way. the screensaver is somewhat comparable to a useful swipe to unlock, and the homepage ad doesnt bother in any way your navigation and enjoyment of the homepage.Reply -
JDFan Since they were trying to advertise it as a "feature" - Why not have it default to off and have users pay $15 to turn the ads on !!Reply -
rohitbaran Good move. Better than the earlier $20 difference between ad-free and ad-supported devices.Reply