PW4 Is there a way to downgrade Kindles?

[robotic__]

Hello!

I have a Kindle PW4 (10th Generation) that's on version 5.16.4. I want to jailbreak it, but the max version for something like LanguageBreak is 5.16.2. Could I put an old firmware file on the Kindle and do a manual update through the settings, or will this screw stuff up or brick my Kindle? I don't mind if I lose my books as I can back them up beforehand via Calibre.

[DNSB]

No. You need to jailbreak your Kindle before you can downgrade the firmware.

[robotic__]

Dang. Are there any alternative jailbreak methods anyone knows about for newer firmwares like this?

[shamanNS]

There is, but it's not released to the general public. It will be once Amazon starts selling next round of new Kindle models.

So your only choice at the moment is to wait and also make sure that your Kindle stays on that firmware 5.16.4.

[robotic__]

Got it, thank you very much!

[BionicGecko]

Originally Posted by shamanNS

There is, but it's not released to the general public. It will be once Amazon starts selling next round of new Kindle models.

This is interesting. Would you happen to know if this unreleased method also works on 5.16.9?

[shamanNS]

IIRC it was successfully tested on 5.16.9 during that "closed beta testing" phase.

[BionicGecko]

Originally Posted by shamanNS

IIRC it was successfully tested on 5.16.9 during that "closed beta testing" phase.

Awesome! Will keep my Scribe in airplane mode to make sure it doesn’t update further.

[JuniorCfm]

Originally Posted by shamanNS

IIRC it was successfully tested on 5.16.9 during that "closed beta testing" phase.

If possible I would like to help in some way, I have a Kindle PW5 that I don't use.

[ra1n]

Originally Posted by shamanNS

There is, but it's not released to the general public. It will be once Amazon starts selling next round of new Kindle models.

So your only choice at the moment is to wait and also make sure that your Kindle stays on that firmware 5.16.4.

I'm stuck at this version too, cautiously never letting my kindle out of Airplane Mode. Is there any idea of when the next round of sale would be ? I really want automatic Collections

[BionicGecko]

Originally Posted by ra1n

Is there any idea of when the next round of sale would be ?

Nobody knows for sure, but user pdurrant recently provided some useful insight on that question here.

[Overtone1971]

Originally Posted by shamanNS

There is, but it's not released to the general public. It will be once Amazon starts selling next round of new Kindle models.

So your only choice at the moment is to wait and also make sure that your Kindle stays on that firmware 5.16.4.

Is this new jailbreak expected to be launched same day the new kindles are announced? Sorry I had to ask . I am tired of kindle's horrible PDF capabilities on native reader , Any soon jailbreak opportunity for my kindle on 5.16.4 in airplane mode would make my day

I cannot understand how a company with billions of dollars at hand fails to implement a better native reader than a free open source option

[BionicGecko]

Originally Posted by Overtone1971

Is this new jailbreak expected to be launched same day the new kindles are announced?

No one can tell besides the developers themselves, but in my opinion it’s rather unlikely that a jailbreak would be released on the same day as the new devices.

In the odd chance that the exploit works on the firmware that the new devices come with, I’d expect the developers to wait at least a few weeks or so to give a chance to people to actually get their hands on the new devices, thus providing a bigger window of opportunity for jailbreaking the devices before the exploit is patched.

[Overtone1971]

Originally Posted by BionicGecko

No one can tell besides the developers themselves, but in my opinion it’s rather unlikely that a jailbreak would be released on the same day as the new devices.

In the odd chance that the exploit works on the firmware that the new devices come with, I’d expect the developers to wait at least a few weeks or so to give a chance to people to actually get their hands on the new devices, thus providing a bigger window of opportunity for jailbreaking the devices before the exploit is patched.

I see . I thought they disclosed the vulnerability to amazon long ago , So amazon imposed some kind of delay on the public exploit release until new devices are launched . This was just my stupid assumption though . I guess I'll just patiently wait

[Frogm4n]

Amazon may not have imposed it. In security research is the concept of responsible disclosure.