Amazon expands Kindle AI features to iPhone app while limiting support for older devices

Amazon has expanded its artificial intelligence features for Kindle users, introducing new tools designed to help readers follow stories and better understand books. However, many of the latest features are available only on newer Kindle devices and the Kindle app for iPhone in the United States, leaving owners of older e-readers without access to the latest updates.

The company announced the new AI-powered reading tools in June 2026 as part of its wider effort to improve the digital reading experience. Amazon said the additions are intended to help readers stay engaged with their books by providing contextual assistance and story summaries while minimising interruptions.

The rollout also reflects the growing use of AI across the publishing industry, where companies are increasingly introducing intelligent features to digital books alongside existing tools such as built-in dictionaries, translation services and note-taking functions.

New AI tools focus on reading assistance

One of the headline features is Recaps, which provides readers with summaries of previous books in a series before they continue reading. Amazon describes the feature as a way to quickly refresh readers’ memories by highlighting important plot developments and character relationships.

A newer addition, called Story So Far, generates summaries based on a reader’s current position in a book. Amazon says these summaries are designed to remain spoiler-free, covering only events that have already been read.

Readers can access Recaps by opening a book series in their Kindle Library and selecting the “View Recaps” option. The feature is also available through the three-dot menu on compatible Kindle devices and by pressing and holding a book collection within the Kindle app for iPhone.

The AI features are not available across Amazon’s entire ebook catalogue. Instead, they currently support thousands of best-selling English-language ebooks. Compatible books display a “Read recap” option within the Kindle interface.

Amazon has also introduced Ask this Book, an AI-powered assistant that answers questions about a book’s content. According to the company, the chatbot can explain plot points, character relationships and themes while adapting its responses to the reader’s current progress through the story.

Amazon said the assistant can answer broader questions covering the entire book if requested. Users can also highlight specific passages and ask questions about selected text without leaving the reading interface.

The chatbot is currently available only through the Kindle app for iPhone in the United States. Amazon plans to extend support to Kindle devices released in 2024 or later, as well as Android devices, before the end of 2026.

Readers can launch Ask this Book from the in-book menu or by highlighting text and selecting the “Ask” option. Suggested questions are displayed automatically, while users can also type their own prompts.

Older Kindle devices miss out

The latest AI features are not coming to Amazon’s older Kindle hardware. Instead, compatibility is limited to Kindle Scribe, Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Colorsoft and standard Kindle models released during 2024 or later.

Owners of earlier Kindle devices can continue using their existing e-readers, but will not receive the new AI-powered tools through software updates. Those users can instead access some of the functionality through the Kindle app for iPhone, provided they are located in the United States.

The move follows Amazon’s earlier decision to end support for its oldest Kindle models. While those devices will continue functioning for books already stored on them, users can no longer add new titles to their libraries.

The company’s strategy appears to encourage customers to upgrade to newer Kindle hardware while allowing mobile users to experience the latest AI capabilities without immediately purchasing a new device.

Authors raise copyright concerns

Amazon’s latest AI additions have prompted criticism from parts of the publishing industry, particularly over copyright and licensing.

The Authors Guild argues that Amazon introduced Ask this Book without obtaining permission from authors or publishers whose books are included in the service. The organisation said the chatbot effectively transforms books into interactive editions that should require separate licensing agreements.

The Guild stated that the feature “turns books into searchable, interactive products akin to enhanced ebooks or annotated editions—a new format for which rights should be specifically negotiated.”

Amazon rejected the criticism, saying the chatbot “only uses content from the book as a prompt,” rather than using it to train its underlying large language model. The company also described the feature as “a natural language expansion of the search functionality that already exists in Kindle apps and for which no license is required.”

The debate has intensified because authors currently cannot opt out of having eligible books included in the feature. According to Amazon, this approach helps maintain “a consistent reading experience” across the platform.

The issue highlights wider legal and commercial questions surrounding the use of AI in publishing. As technology companies continue integrating AI into digital products, authors and publishers are increasingly seeking greater control over how their work is used and whether additional licensing or compensation should apply.

For readers, Amazon’s latest Kindle features offer new ways to revisit stories and explore books in greater depth. At the same time, the launch demonstrates how AI is reshaping digital publishing, with convenience and innovation continuing to be weighed against copyright and creative ownership.