Since Amazon announced its new line of Kindle Fire tablets, there's been confusion over whether the company would allow users to avoid seeing "Special Offer" promotions on their lock screens. According to CNET, an Amazon spokesperson has now confirmed that there is no system for disabling ads on new models of the Kindle Fire. That means that unlike the cheaper Kindle e-reader, users can't spend more up front for an ad-free version or pay to disable the ads after purchase. The statement also refutes a previous Engadget report, including an email apparently from Amazon's support team saying that users would be given options for "unsubscribing" from Special Offers.
At present, it appears that everything in the Kindle Fire family — including the $499 8.9-inch model with LTE — will include Special Offers. We've reached out to Amazon, and we'll update with any confirmation. Meanwhile, it's not much of a surprise if the company's support team is still codifying policies. When we contacted support, we were given conflicting information about whether it was possible to opt out of ads.
Update: An Amazon spokesperson has indeed told us that there aren't any opt-outs for the new Kindle Fire line.