'Audiobooks for Audible' iOS App Gains CarPlay Support

[MacRumors]

Popular audiobooks service Audible today announced CarPlay support for its iOS app, allowing iPhone users who have CarPlay to listen to their Audible audiobooks in their vehicles. Audiobooks for Audible is the second audiobook app available for CarPlay, following in the footsteps of Audiobooks.com, which added CarPlay support to its iOS app back in March. Apple will also be introducing its own Audiobooks app for CarPlay with the debut of iOS 8.4.

With the addition of CarPlay support, Audible becomes one of a handful of third-party apps to work with Apple's in-car infotainment system. Apple has maintained strict control over CarPlay apps due to safety concerns, allowing only certain audio-based apps to work with the feature. Other available CarPlay apps include iHeartRadio, Rdio, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, AtBat, CBS Radio, and Umano.

CarPlay availability remains limited as many automobile manufacturers have yet to introduce the system into their vehicles, though many have pledged to debut support in 2015/2016 models. CarPlay is mainly accessible through third-party infotainment systems from companies like Alpine and Pioneer.

Along with CarPlay support, today's Audible update also brings design changes and feature improvements to the iPhone and iPad apps.

- Lock Screen/Control Center - Previously, the Lock Screen/Control Center buttons were always chapter forward/back, even if your settings were for 30-second forward/back. Now, your lock screen/Control Center will feature the correct icons.
- Sleep Timer - There is now a "Reset Timer" option after the sleep timer ends, reducing the number of taps from 4 to 2.
- Sleep Timer - The fade-out returns.
- Discover - On iPhone, we've updated the visual design by removing the dark overlay and going to a grid.
- Discover - On iPad, we've replaced "Discover" with a true browse experience (it used to just be search). It should now mirror the iPhone version.
- When you sample a book from a book detail page in "Discover" or search, it now plays in the player. This allows you to leave the detail page and still listen to the sample.
- New Tab Bar - We moved Settings into the main navigation and created an overflow menu (on iPhone) for the items that no longer fit on the main tab.

Audiobooks from Audible can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Article Link: 'Audiobooks for Audible' iOS App Gains CarPlay Support

 

[clukas]

Nice to see, however unfortunately my car doesn't have CarPlay support. Hopefully over the next few years many more apps will get support, so my next car which will support CarPlay will have enough apps to make it worthwhile.

 

[Narrator Jack]

Does the Apple audiobook app play audiobooks that Audible's app doesn't? If not, probably a welcome state of affairs, as now you have another user interface from which to choose.

 

[Aniseedvan]

Any idea if they're doing a watch app? I was struggling to find anything the other evening...

 

[k2director]

This is all well and good but where's the Apple Watch app, Amazon/Audible?

The watch is a perfect controller for Audible when you're working out, and so far Audible has been silent on Watch support.

This would have been a great opportunity to do something proactive and ahead of the curve but I guess that's a little too radical for the corporate minions.

 

[Douglas B]

This is all well and good but where's the Apple Watch app, Amazon/Audible?

The watch is a perfect controller for Audible when you're working out, and so far Audible has been silent on Watch support.

Once you have started a book playing from the Audible app you can then control it from the Watch's standard audio glance. The number of seconds to skip back is configurable in the Audible app and is probably it's best feature.

(How the heck do you get images to work. )

PS: If you are updating the Audible app, set bookmarks on all your current positions in your books because - as is common - the update forgets your progress.

 

[69650]

I'm looking for a new car at the moment. I haven't found a single model on sale with CarPlay installed.

 

[69Mustang]

I'm looking for a new car at the moment. I haven't found a single model on sale with CarPlay installed.

You are in luck. The Ferrari FF is the only car with CP installed right now. Hyundai is introducing it this fall in their 2016 models. Honda/Acura is said to be readying their cars for fall intro as well. Others are supposed to be following late fall/winter and on into 2016.

One thing you should be prepared for: paying more for your car. It's likely CarPlay and Android Auto will only be available through optioned upgraded infotainment packages. Don't forget to tick that box.

 

[69650]

You are in luck. The Ferrari FF is the only car with CP installed right now. Hyundai is introducing it this fall in their 2016 models. Honda/Acura is said to be readying their cars for fall intro as well. Others are supposed to be following late fall/winter and on into 2016.

One thing you should be prepared for: paying more for your car. It's likely CarPlay and Android Auto will only be available through optioned upgraded infotainment packages. Don't forget to tick that box.

Thanks for the info. I don't mind paying a bit extra for CarPlay. Sadly my budget doesn't stretch to the Ferrari FF. I wish it did.

 

[pumeza]

Audible's latest update is a total disaster - entire user libraries deleted, crashes, etc. The fix has fixed nothing. So in return for a hypeware feature nobody can actually use yet, we got a very serious downgrade. Their rating on the app stores has plunged to one star, but nobody seems to be covering this.