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The Kindle app for iOS has features your aging Kindle doesn't
Amazon’s Kindle AI features help you read beyond the lines, so long as you have the right ereader.
Amazon is going all-in on bringing artificial intelligence to your reading experience, adding several new smart features to its famed Kindle ereaders. Officially announced in June 2026, the conglomerate frames its AI add-ons as "making it easier to stay immersed in your books" by offering spoiler free recaps and AI assistants capable of bringing context to your reading experience. When combined with your Kindle's previous smart features, which allowed users to do everything from look up definitions to translate foreign languages, the rollout is indicative of an publishing landscape searching for new ways to incorporate emerging technologies into your reading experience, whether you asked for it or not.
Unfortunately, not every reader will have access to Kindle's AI infusion. As it stands, Amazon has rolled out its new recap features to newer Kindle devices and American iOS users. However, its Ask this Book AI chatbot will only be available on the the US-version of its iOS Kindle application, for now. Kindles will be receiving the Ask this Book feature later this year. Likewise, both recaps and Ask this book functionalities are expected to come to Android applications by the end of 2026.
The additions come as Amazon pushes users towards newer models of their flagship ereader. Earlier this year, the Seattle company announced it would discontinue support for its earliest Kindle models. To assuage concerns, Kindle assured users that their older models will continue to function. However, users won't be able to import new titles to their libraries.
In a similar vein, Amazon will not be pushing its latest features update onto its older Kindle models. Instead, the contextual tools will only be available to Kindles released in 2024 or after. With that in mind, the phone application proves a useful workaround, allowing readers to test whether AI functionality is really worth the upgrade.
Amazon pitches its new Recaps functions as something akin to the "previously on ..." segments of popular television shows. Readers can seamlessly return to their favorite series without missing a beat through "quick refreshers" of previous installments, including key plot points and character developments. It's important to note that these recaps are anything but spoiler-free. As someone who judges those that skip to the back of the book, the thought of accidentally reading a recap of a book I've yet to devour sends a cold shiver down my spine. Proceed with cautious.
Readers can discover if Recaps are available for their favorite series in both their Kindle and iOS app. If using your ereader, simply visit the series' page in your Kindle Library and select the "View Recaps" button above the listed books. From there, select the book you'd like a refresher on. You can also select the "View Recaps" via the three dotted menu at the upper righthand corner of your screen. If using your phone, the same option will appear once you select and hold the book grouping in your library.
A new addition to Recaps' functionalities is Amazon's Story So Far feature, which allows readers the option of receiving spoiler free summaries "tailored to your current position in the story." American users can access the feature on all Kindle Scribe devices, as well as any Kindles, Kindle Colorsofts, or Kindle Paperwhites released in 2024 or afterward. Readers married to their older Kindle products can access the upgrade through the iOS app.
It's important to note that these updates are not available for all Kindle books. To learn whether your read is included in the "thousands of best-selling English-language eBooks" eligible for Amazon's newest feature, look for the "Read recap" button when you press and hold a book in your Kindle. To access the feature while reading your book, tap the three-dot menu at the top right corner of the screen.
A new AI assistant will be added to