Audible’s ‘Read & Listen’ Feature: A Seamless Fusion of E-Books and Audiobooks
In a significant advancement for digital readers and listeners, Amazon-owned Audible has introduced the Read & Listen feature, designed to synchronize Kindle e-books with their corresponding audiobooks. This innovation allows users to engage with both text and audio formats simultaneously, enhancing the reading experience.
The Read & Listen feature enables users who own both the e-book and audiobook versions of a title to read the text while listening to the narration. As the audio plays, the e-book’s text is highlighted in real-time, providing an immersive reading experience. This functionality also allows seamless switching between reading and listening across various devices, catering to diverse user preferences and situations.
Previously, the Kindle app offered a similar tool that allowed readers to transition between the Audible version and the e-book when both were purchased. Now, this feature is integrated into the Audible app, expanding its accessibility. To utilize Read & Listen, customers must own both versions of the book. To facilitate this, Audible offers discounted audiobooks to customers who have already purchased the matching e-book, making it more economical to enjoy both formats.
At launch, the Read & Listen feature supports hundreds of thousands of titles across multiple languages, including English, German, Spanish, Italian, and French. Initially available in the U.S., the feature is set to expand to the U.K., Australia, and Germany in the coming months. Audible’s app will automatically identify Kindle e-books in a user’s library that have corresponding audiobooks, simplifying the process of discovering compatible titles.
This development comes shortly after Spotify’s announcement of its entry into physical book sales, which includes an audiobook feature that syncs listening and offline reading progress. Audible’s Read & Listen feature positions it competitively in the evolving digital reading and listening landscape.
Many users have previously relied on Amazon’s Alexa to narrate their Kindle e-books. However, Alexa’s monotone delivery often lacks the engagement of professional narration. By offering discounted audiobooks to e-book owners, Audible aims to enhance the user experience and boost sales across both formats.
Research indicates that combining reading and listening can improve focus and comprehension. Audible’s internal data supports this, showing that customers who engage with both formats are the most active, consuming nearly twice as much content per month as those who use audiobooks alone.
The Read & Listen feature is particularly beneficial for students, language learners, and individuals seeking to increase their reading efficiency. It also appeals to those who frequently switch between reading and listening, as well as fans of specific narrators. Additionally, it aids in learning correct pronunciation of character names, which is especially useful in genres like fantasy.
Andy Tsao, Chief Product Officer at Audible, emphasized the value of this feature, stating, Audiobooks count as reading. But now at Audible, you can read with your eyes too. Read & Listen gives book lovers the best of both worlds. Whether you’re learning a new language, studying for school, or lost in a story’s world, you no longer have to choose one format over the other.
Importantly, Amazon assures that the introduction of this feature will not affect publishers’ royalty payments, maintaining the integrity of author and publisher compensation.
