Amazon Testing 'Kindle Unlimited' E-book Subscription Service

[MacRumors]

Amazon appears to be testing a new e-book and audiobook subscription service it's calling "Kindle Unlimited," which brings unlimited access to 600,000 e-books and thousands of audiobooks for a fee of $9.99 per month.

According to information discovered by users on the KBoards Kindle forum (via Gigaom) the Kindle Unlimited service will be available on all devices, including the iPhone and the iPad likely via Amazon's Kindle app. Amazon has pulled the pages that were found this morning, but information on the service can still be seen through Google Cache and a single test page.

The now defunct Kindle Unlimited section on Amazon.com lists several popular e-book titles, including Water for Elephants, Life of Pi and the entire series of Harry Potter and Hunger Games books. The titles appear to mirror many of those available through Amazon's existing Kindle Owners' Lending Library, a service that allows Kindle-owning Amazon Prime subscribers to rent free e-books.

There are several existing e-book subscription services like those from Oyster and Scribd, but Amazon has a larger catalog of books to offer, advertising more than 600,000 titles compared to Oyster's 500,000 and Scribd's 400,000, plus more than 7,000 audiobooks. Thus far, Kindle Unlimited appears to include books from publishers like Open Road Media, Workman, Algonquin, Bloomsbury, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

It is unknown when Amazon might officially launch its Kindle Unlimited subscription service and thus far, it has not made a statement regarding the test pages.

Article Link: Amazon Testing 'Kindle Unlimited' E-book Subscription Service

 

[jbachandouris]

I would be interested, depending on price. Sometimes I just want to read a book once and using library digital rental isn't always available as they don't always have new releases and are limited to the amount of digital copies they can rent.

 

[ZacNicholson]

Reading is so 1800s

 

[matty.p]

aka a public library...

 

[nepalisherpa]

I'm surprised that they didn't make this a part of Amazon Prime. Anyway, should be a good deal if you read a lot and the selections are good.

 

[Michael Goff]

aka a public library...

I don't know how to get a book from my library with my pants off while laying in bed (theoretically). Could you explain how?

 

[madsci954]

I don't know how to get a book from my library with my pants off while laying in bed (theoretically). Could you explain how?

Make/pay your buddy to go do it.

 

[Renzatic]

I don't know how to get a book from my library with my pants off while laying in bed (theoretically). Could you explain how?

Remote control robots.

 

[Jsameds]

Good deal for those who read like a thousand books a day.

 

[Cougarcat]

I don't know how to get a book from my library with my pants off while laying in bed (theoretically). Could you explain how?

Many public libraries have ebook libraries.

 

[69650]

Wow bring it on. I buy a lot of audiobooks to listen to in the car and they're still expensive. Tried Audible from Amazon but that was too restrictive. 10 quid a month for all the books in Amazon's library. Yes please.

I like all these subscription services. Saving me a fortune every month. £6/mth for Netflix, £10/mth for Spotify and £10/mth for Kindle. A whole lot more enjoyable than wasting £70/mth on Sky or paying for everything on iTunes.

 

[ActionableMango]

I don't know how to get a book from my library with my pants off while laying in bed (theoretically). Could you explain how?

Sure. I log into the library website and search for a title. All the variations come up in the results (hardcover, audiobook, ebook). I select the ebook and check it out, selecting the Kindle format. The library's website redirects me to Amazon, where I click to download it to my iPad. I start up the Kindle app on the iPad and it's there.

At some point in the future, Amazon sends me a note that my check out is about to expire and a few days later the ebook is no longer accessible through the Kindle app. If I haven't finished the book, I have to check it out again. Or, I can simply turn on Airport mode before I launch the Kindle app, and the book will stay there even after the expiration period.

 

[bpcookson]

I want this for audiobooks.

Charging $15/mo for ONE BOOK at audible.com is a joke. Give me unlimited audiobooks and I'll give you my money.

edit: Wait, this includes audiobooks? I read too fast. This is awesome!

 

[yaxomoxay]

I don't know how to get a book from my library with my pants off while laying in bed (theoretically). Could you explain how?

At our public library we offer free ebook rentals through Overdrive and other providers. The selection is quite good, latest releases are usually available.
In addition we provide a Books on Wheels program for elderly and handicapped.
In Houston the first 100% digital public library was recently opened, and I was told by a librarian that it's top notch in both available services and quality.

 

[Razeus]

I can't afford any more subscriptions. Well I can, but it's beginning to be cumbersome.

However, I wouldn't mind audiobooks. I find "self help" books such as productivity, health & fitness are better when they are read to me. but I find they are rather expensive by themselves. For literary fiction, I like to do the reading myself.

 

[NeroAZ]

I pay like $22/mo for 2 audible credits, and buy kindle books as well. So I'd happily pay just $10/mo to read listen to unlimited!

 

[testcard]

Prime gets me one book a month. Not sure I want to pay more on top of the Prime subscription.

 

[adamw]

Unlimited is a good thing for avid readers. Maybe this will encourage more people to read.

 

[Cougarcat]

Prime gets me one book a month. Not sure I want to pay more on top of the Prime subscription.

Prime's selection is almost worthless. I would assume this is a lot better.

But IMO this is what public libraries are for...

 

[Thunderhawks]

I don't know how to get a book from my library with my pants off while laying in bed (theoretically). Could you explain how?

In your scenario a book doesn't seem to be the best solution. Plenty of streaming websites available.

 

[jayducharme]

Perfect article to follow MacRumor's report of Apple settling the eBook price fixing issue for nearly 1/2 billon dollars.

 

[Koodauw]

I would sign up for this, espcially if audio books are included.

 

[Michael Goff]

Make/pay your buddy to go do it.

Good plan, but that relies on me having buddies.

Remote control robots.

Excellent idea! Best one yet.

Many public libraries have ebook libraries.

Sure. I log into the library website and search for a title. All the variations come up in the results (hardcover, audiobook, ebook). I select the ebook and check it out, selecting the Kindle format. The library's website redirects me to Amazon, where I click to download it to my iPad. I start up the Kindle app on the iPad and it's there.

At some point in the future, Amazon sends me a note that my check out is about to expire and a few days later the ebook is no longer accessible through the Kindle app. If I haven't finished the book, I have to check it out again. Or, I can simply turn on Airport mode before I launch the Kindle app, and the book will stay there even after the expiration period.

Mine has an eBook thing going on, but not through Amazon and for some reason I get unlucky and the digital copy my library has seems to be checked out a lot. I have never been able to actually read the Song of Fire and Ice series for this reason.

At our public library we offer free ebook rentals through Overdrive and other providers. The selection is quite good, latest releases are usually available.
In addition we provide a Books on Wheels program for elderly and handicapped.
In Houston the first 100% digital public library was recently opened, and I was told by a librarian that it's top notch in both available services and quality.

We use Overdrive too, but it's a shame that the books I want to read seem to be so popular as to always be checked out. How do you run out of copies of digital books, by the way?

----------

In your scenario a book doesn't seem to be the best solution. Plenty of streaming websites available.

You're probably right.

 

[cmwade77]

Prime's selection is almost worthless. I would assume this is a lot better.

But IMO this is what public libraries are for...

I use my Kindle in the car A LOT to listen to books (it's what happens when you live in So. Cal and have a commute). I love the WhisperSync technology where I can listen to the AudioBook, then pick up and read when I want to and go back to listening where I stopped reading.

I also like the text to speech option.

A public library has neither of these options, so I would love to have a $10/month all you can read/listen subscription.

 

[Cougarcat]

We use Overdrive too, but it's a shame that the books I want to read seem to be so popular as to always be checked out. How do you run out of copies of digital books

I am not at all surprised that GoT is checked out all the time. It's one of the most popular shows on TV. Does your library allow you to put holds on eBooks?

I am sure the librarian can offer a more detailed explanation, but it comes down to licensing. Book publishers obviously don't want to have a situation where libraries pay once for one copy, and they never see any income again. I think for some publishers books figuratively "wear out" after a period of years and libraries have to re-buy them.