Nothing is as divisive as changing the way we do things. This is evident in the new Kindle Home Screen change, that dramatically alters the core e-reading experience. The new home screen experience has introduced a myriad of changes on most modern Kindle e-readers. The icons have been removed from the UI at the top of the screen. This used to link to services such as Goodreads, the Kindle Store, the back button and search. The search bar is now at the very top of the screen and the store is right beside it. Goodreads is now in the settings menu. In the middle of the home screen, it now shows the last few books you have opened or bought from the Kindle Store, with a link, that takes you to the library. The vast majority of the home screen is now devoted to ebook discovery, with a slider bar on the side. It recommends books, based on your purchase history or books Amazon is bullish about selling. The bottom UI now has two elements; home and library, in the middle of that is an icon of an open book, clicking on that, will take you directly to the book you are currently reading. They have also changed various aspects in the reading system, such as Dark Mode.
Amazon is so happy about their new home screen experience, that they have created a dedicated landing page. They have a series of pictures and small paragraphs that go over most of the core changes. You will also get a sense of what models support the new firmware updates, that actually have all of the new home screen features. This includes the Paperwhite 10th Generation, in addition to the 11th generation. It also supports a couple of iterations of the entry level Kindle and the Oasis.
Many people are not very happy with the new home screen, and wish they could go back to the previous version. I am sad to report, that you cannot go back to the old UI, Amazon does not provide the option.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.