Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Audiobooks Purchased From Apple Can Now Be Re-Downloaded Through iCloud
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
It sounds like the system for audiobooks on a iphone/ipad/ipod sucks if you use the Apple default. I use audiobooks all the time, since it's a great way to kill the 80-90minute each way commute. With Audible, I can re-download all the books I've purchased from them, even those that they no longer offer for sale. I can sync progress between devices (so if I forget my iPod or the battery's dead I can pick up from the last point I listened to on my phone). As I'm on a monthly plan, book pricing is cheap (£7.50 per book, whatever the length). I'm struggling to see why it's taking Apple so long to get a working system.
Seriously?!? for the price Apple are charging for books, that's outrageous.
Well audiobooks, I am not sure about iBooks.
I think you digital books you could already download multiple times. I had several audiobooks I purchased years ago when I had a longer drive to work and some I didn't have backed up on a computer so they were technically lost until now.
I want the all-in-one iPod App back.
That was also the last time I trusted podcasts synched from my Mac to work on iOS.
This. Fun fact: Apple's audiobooks are provided by Amazon.
Glassed Silver:ios
[doublepost=1457706297][/doublepost]It still doesn't work for any of the books I purchased.
Apple recently updated its policy on audiobooks, allowing customers who have purchased audiobooks directly from Apple to re-download them using iTunes in the Cloud through iBooks on iOS devices or through iTunes on a Mac or PC. Audiobooks are now listed in a customer's iBooks purchase history and can be re-downloaded just like standard e-books.
According to a support document on downloading past purchases, the change was made on March 3. Prior to that date, audiobooks could not be re-downloaded through iCloud and were only available if they were included in a backup made on a Mac or PC.
A second support document outlining which iTunes purchases can be downloaded again by country has also been updated to reflect the change. In 22 countries, including the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada, and much of Europe, purchased audiobooks can be accessed at any time through a user's Purchased history.
In iOS 9.3, audiobooks are also available to be automatically downloaded to all iOS devices when purchased. In the Settings app under iTunes & App Store, "Books & Audiobooks" is now an option under Automatic Downloads. Previously, this section listed only books, leaving out audiobooks.
iOS 9.3 will also streamline the iBooks "Purchased" tab with deeper organizational options that sort books by category and it enables Family Sharing for audiobooks.
Apple has been gradually improving support for its selection of audiobooks. In iOS 8.4, audiobooks became available to purchase and listen to through the iBooks app, making them much more accessible. Prior to that date, audiobooks had to be purchased through the iTunes store and listened to using the Music app.
Audiobooks can be re-downloaded on all iOS devices immediately. Automatic Downloads of audiobooks will be enabled with iOS 9.3, set to be released to the public in the near future.
(Thanks, William!)
Article Link: Audiobooks Purchased From Apple Can Now Be Re-Downloaded Through iCloud
The problem goes deeper than simply having access to re-download audiobooks. It's an issue of whether Apple will let you download digital purchases for items they no longer carry on iTunes.
I bought about a dozen audiobooks from iTunes that were technically from Audible.
After getting a new iPhone, I noticed they were no longer on my device so I called Apple and they said there's no way to get them back... so I called Audible, assuming they could put them in my Audible account.
Since my backups from 5 years are gone... so are all those purchases. That's why I decided to never purchase audiobooks, books, movies or any other form of digital media from Apple that I know I can get elsewhere.
I blogged about this last September.
It's still a problem.
how so? works for me
[doublepost=1457746773][/doublepost]
care to realize Audible is the provider on iTunes and they set the prices?
I wish I could listen to my audiobooks over my Apple TV. It has the audiobook category but audiobooks will not play on the Apple TV.
Great! I have no backups. Now I can re-download audiobooks which are listed in my iBooks purchase history.
As a service, Audible is far superior. as far as I can see. Up til now, Apple have in effect been charging users for a rental, rather than a purchase. I see what Apple have done up til now as effectively acting as a "Blockbusters" for audiobooks. You want to listen to it again? You have to pay for it again. That's the difference between Apple & Audible. With one you own the book, the other merely rents it to you.
Add in the Audible pricing structure of credits (£15 for 2 credits, one credit = 1 book, irrespective of individual price**), the cross-device syncing, the re-downloading of books even after they are withdrawn from new purchasing, and there's no comparison.
** e.g. I bought the excellent Rise & Fall of the Third Reich. 57 hours of listening for effectively £7.50.
It's always been legal issues not technical. The deals in place were only one shot downloads. I suspect some publishers were holding out for a better deal and Apple couldn't do it unless all of them were on board.
Also Audible probably had some in a stranglehold for years until their exclusivity ran out.
[doublepost=1457959305][/doublepost]
But your entire point is mute now. Everything I've downloaded in the past is now available.
I will say 75% of the time Apple is cheaper than audible. Sometimes a lot more UNLESS you do the monthly subs. Also it's cheaper more often than not to just buy though Amazon ( who own audible ) doe one shot audible books. one I bought was 12 on amazon or 21 on Audible.
I do like the subs model but the last time I did audible they kept putting the prices up 3 times in 2 years... was 8 years ago now tho.
Lol, audible sets the pricing, think you missed the point. It's like apps, the content provider gets to set the price. Audible wants you you to buy their subscription vs selling them individually on iTunes.
My audiobooks are still not available to download. I bought about 10. They have all gone. I haven't had access to them since iOS 9.
I got an email from Apple support asking for the specific titles that are missing. I didn't write Apple, but I'm guessing somebody from iTunes support reads these forums. Anyhow, I not only gave her a list of the missing titles, but even the order numbers, and a cc of the emails I wrote over 5 years ago when I first discovered they were missing.
Naturally... no response, and every audiobook I've ever ordered from iTunes is still missing forever. This again is exactly why I NEVER BUY DIGITAL MEDIA FROM APPLE unless it's something I know I can't get anywhere else.
The fact is, ANYTHING in the iTunes store that goes "out of print", meaning they no longer carry it, MUST BE DOWNLOADED and backed up to your local computer, because once they stop selling the title, you will never get it back.
In my case, the books were part of their relationship with Audible, which must've been for a limited time. I've tried asking Audible to restore them to my account, but they have no way to do it. Lesson learned.
Naturally... no response, and every audiobook I've ever ordered from iTunes is still missing forever. This again is exactly why I NEVER BUY DIGITAL MEDIA FROM APPLE unless it's something I know I can't get anywhere else.
The fact is, ANYTHING in the iTunes store that goes "out of print", meaning they no longer carry it, MUST BE DOWNLOADED and backed up to your local computer, because once they stop selling the title, you will never get it back.
In my case, the books were part of their relationship with Audible, which must've been for a limited time. I've tried asking Audible to restore them to my account, but they have no way to do it. Lesson learned.
Clearly you just want to be unhappy. I would think its cool if they reached out to me to understand the issue. I can only assume they want to give you good news when they know more.