Ledger has announced the official end of software updates for its original Nano S hardware wallet, citing technical limitations that hinder further upgrades. While the wallet, first released in 2016, will remain operational for basic functions, users will no longer receive updates or new features.
According to Guillemet, the Nano S’s limited 320 KB memory has become a bottleneck, making it difficult to support modern applications or security improvements.
Ledger had officially retired the Nano S in 2022 but continued to support it with minimal updates for nearly two more years. Guillemet noted that recent advancements in crypto wallet software, such as multi-application runtimes, enhanced clear-signing, on-device swapping, and the Ledger Sync transaction check require far more memory than the Nano S can provide.
Ledger emphasized that users can restore their funds on newer devices by importing their 24-word recovery phrase, a seed phrase compatible with all BIP-39-compliant wallets.
In light of this transition, the company is encouraging users to upgrade to the Nano S Plus, released in 2022, which includes expanded memory and compatibility with the latest app features.
The announcement has generated mixed feedback across X. Some users accused Ledger of planned obsolescence, arguing that encouraging upgrades puts pressure on existing users to make new purchases.
I’m not a fan of ledger as a company but they are decommissioning the Nano S the old device from a decade ago, not the Nano S plus they sell now.
Featured image created with DALL-E, Chart from TradingView
