By ByteBot
On December 10, 2025, Amazon announced it will allow Kindle Direct Publishing authors to offer DRM-free e-books in EPUB and PDF formats starting January 20, 2026. For the first time in the platform’s 18-year history, purchased Kindle books can legally escape Amazon’s ecosystem and be read on competing devices like Kobo, Nook, and Apple Books. This marks either a strategic retreat from format lock-in or—more likely—a calculated response to antitrust pressure.
The Walled Garden Cracks Open
Starting January 20, 2026, readers can download purchased DRM-free KDP books as EPUB or PDF files from Amazon’s “Manage Your Content and Devices” page. This makes Kindle books cross-platform compatible for the first time. Readers can sideload files to Kobo, Nook, Apple Books, or any ePub-compatible device without jailbreaking or DRM-stripping tools.
Previously, even if authors uploaded books without DRM, Amazon encrypted them in its proprietary KFX format. The books were unreadable on non-Kindle devices. Amazon holds 74% of US e-book market share and 83.6% of e-reader hardware sales. This change could shift 5-10% of readers to competing platforms over the next 2-3 years—a significant crack in Amazon’s monopoly.
For developers, this is a case study in lock-in strategies. Even Amazon, with its dominant position, eventually had to open its walled garden. The lesson: proprietary formats create short-term competitive advantage but long-term fragility.
The Fine Print: Only Self-Published, Only If Authors Opt-In
The policy only applies to Kindle Direct Publishing authors who actively choose to disable DRM. Traditionally published books from major publishers like Penguin Random House or HarperCollins remain locked. Authors who published before December 9, 2025, must manually opt-in or their books stay encrypted. Kindle Unlimited borrowers are excluded—only verified purchasers can download EPUB/PDF files.
To enable DRM-free downloads, authors must check a box in their Kindle Direct Publishing dashboard stating: “I understand that by not applying DRM, customers who buy and have already bought this book will be able to download it as a PDF or EPUB file.” Changes take 72 hours to propagate to the Kindle store.
KDP represents 30-40% of Amazon’s e-book sales. If only 20-30% of KDP authors go DRM-free, millions of books could still remain locked. Amazon is shifting DRM responsibility to authors. When readers complain about locked books, Amazon can now say “blame the author, not us.” This is strategic positioning to deflect antitrust criticism while maintaining control over most of the catalog.
Related: Apple Opens Japan App Store to Third-Party Stores—Epic Says No
Why Amazon Reversed Course After 18 Years
Amazon hasn’t officially explained its policy reversal, but industry analysts point to antitrust scrutiny. According to WebProNews, the move “might be a strategic olive branch to retain self-publishers amid whispers of antitrust scrutiny over its market power.” The change announced on TechCrunch “enhances interoperability across devices, addressing format lock-in criticisms” that have plagued Amazon for years.
The timing is revealing. Amazon removed USB download options earlier in 2025, then reversed course with this announcement. The EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) is forcing Big Tech platforms to open up. Amazon may be preemptively complying to avoid regulatory mandates that could force DRM-free access for ALL books, not just self-published titles.
For platform builders, this is a clear warning: open voluntarily, or be forced open by regulators. Apple’s App Store, Google Play, and other walled gardens face similar pressure. Amazon’s move shows that even 74% market share doesn’t immunize you from regulatory scrutiny.
Market Impact: Kobo and Nook See an Opening
Amazon’s competitors now have a growth opportunity. Kobo (3-4% US market share), Barnes & Noble Nook (7-8%), and Apple Books (10-12%) can market “Read your Kindle DRM-free library on our devices.” Kobo already uses open ePub format and dominates markets like Canada, France, Japan, and Australia.
If 10% of KDP authors go DRM-free, readers gain access to millions of cross-platform books. This could accelerate Kindle-to-Kobo migrations, especially among users frustrated by Amazon’s ecosystem lock-in. The e-reader market has been stagnant with Amazon holding an 83.6% monopoly. This change injects competition back into the market.
For tech-savvy readers—ByteIota’s audience—it means device choice without library lock-in. You can finally build a cross-platform library without betting everything on Amazon’s longevity. That’s a win for open standards and consumer freedom. For more on how Kindle books work, see Good e-Reader’s analysis.
Key Takeaways
- Amazon opens Kindle DRM-free EPUB and PDF downloads on January 20, 2026—but only for Kindle Direct Publishing (self-published) authors who opt-in
- Traditionally published books remain locked; Kindle Unlimited borrowers are excluded—Amazon shifted DRM responsibility to authors to deflect antitrust criticism
- Antitrust pressure likely drove the policy shift—Amazon is preemptively complying to avoid EU Digital Markets Act mandates forcing broader openness
- Competitors like Kobo, Nook, and Apple Books gain a cross-platform advantage—the e-reader market could see renewed competition after years of Amazon monopoly
- Developer lesson: Open standards outlast walled gardens—even Amazon’s dominant position couldn’t sustain proprietary format lock-in indefinitely
