Amazon’s New Kindle Case Ignores Left-Handed Users
Amazon recently updated its Kindle lineup, introducing new colors and minor upgrades like faster page-turning speeds. Alongside these changes, the company unveiled two new accessories: the Kindle Click remote and a case with physical buttons. While the remote control seems practical, the case has drawn criticism from left-handed users.
The earliest Kindle models featured physical buttons on both sides, making them accessible for both right-handed and left-handed users. However, starting with the Kindle Paperwhite in 2012, Amazon shifted to a touch-based system where left-handed users had to awkwardly stretch over the screen to turn pages. This design choice frustrated left-handed users, who preferred the convenience of the older models.
The new Kindle case includes physical buttons but only on the right-hand side. While it is technically possible to flip the case upside down to accommodate left-handed users, this results in an uncomfortable and impractical setup. The author argues that Amazon's design oversight disregards the needs of left-handed users, who have long struggled with products designed primarily for right-handed individuals.
The author expresses disappointment, noting that left-handed users have enjoyed brief periods of ambidextrous-friendly design, such as the click-button Kindles. She calls on Amazon CEO Andy Jassy to reconsider the design, emphasizing that left-handed users exist and deserve better consideration in product design.