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This thread, even though it's old, is the perfect example of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". Why upgrade firmware if it doesn't contain a fix that you require, or a new feature that you absolutely cannot live with? I'm not sure what the most recent firmware is for my PW3 - it's currently on 5.9.4 - but I have zero reason to "upgrade" it. It currently works as I expect it to, and meets my needs just fine.
I don't have to worry about an update going bad and bricking my Kindle. I don't have to worry about an update creating excessive battery drain that wasn't there before. I don't have to worry about an update changing a feature that I did like into one that I don't like.
My Kindle stays in Airplane Mode permanently. That means no unexpected updates. That means no Amazon snooping on me. That means better battery life. That means it's ad free even though I never paid extra for that (it just eventually ran out of ads to display with no internet connectivity). It doesn't need any "security updates" since it is never allowed to connect to the internet in the first place.
My Kindle is in some kind of half registered/half unregistered state I think. Initially, I registered it upon purchase. But it would lock up on occasion. I was able to unlock it with the long-press of the power button. But it was annoying. I did a factory reset. I upgraded the firmware. That didn't help with the lockups. Eventually I sent it back to Amazon and they did a factory reset and upgraded the firmware to the same version of firmware that was already installed. That didn't help either. It still locked up. But after their meddling, the device itself shows as unregistered, but on the Amazon website it is there, so it is still registered apparently. I haven't tried to re-register it, based on the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" principle. It works just fine as-is. I can buy books for it from Amazon, no problem. I always "download books for USB transfer" and then strip DRM from those purchases and side load them via Calibre. Maybe if I tried a direct download to the device from Amazon that would fail due to its registration status, but I've never tried that and see no need to. Side loading is fine with me. Preferred, actually.
A few months after Amazon returned the Kindle, still locking up immediately after return, it just quit locking up out of the blue. No firmware updates. No resets. Just normal usage. That was a few years ago and it hasn't locked up since. So it will stay just the way it is, no updates unless they fix a problem that I am specifically having myself or they add that killer feature that I just have to have. Updating for the reason "Amazon came out with new firmware" is not a reason in my book. Who cares if Amazon came out with new firmware it that doesn't benefit me personally?
I am more for avoiding potential problems than fixing them after they have occurred. It is a fallacy to think "the newest firmware" is the best firmware, the most stable firmware, the most feature rich firmware, the best designed firmware, the most bug free firmware, etc. But lots of people seem to think this is the case. Sometimes "the newest firmware" might leave you with a brick rather than a Kindle. It may not happen often, but if you're the one it happens too, the rarity of the event is of little consolation. Apparently, Amazon does not care, probably because it is rare. If it affects you, no big deal to them, they just tell you to go buy a new Kindle. End of story.
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