Scribd adds Audiobooks to its Plan

[tubemonkey]

Scribd Adds Audiobooks To All-You-Read Library, Piling Pressure On Amazon

In July, the San Francisco company woke up to find that Amazon.com had imitated one of its core services, introducing an all-you-can-read book subscription service that rivaled the “Netflix for books” model pioneered by Scribd and fellow competitor Oyster. With “Kindle Unlimited,” the Seattle retailer made it a selling point that it had more titles than the little guys, as well as something the others didn’t have: more than 2,000 audiobooks.

On Thursday, that distinction is no more as Scribd launched its own audiobook vertical, a collection that will feature 30,000 titles at no extra charge to subscribers. For the 7-year-old company, the new service is an opportunity to tap into more than $1 billion audiobook market that lacks a dominant player, and challenge Amazon as the tech giant faces a host of problems in the digital publishing space.

“Audiobooks are just a good fit for your iPhone or your Android phone, while you’re driving or if you’re going to sleep,” said Scribd CEO Trip Adler. “They’re a very good use case [for reading] and we think it’s a big, growing market.”

This adds a new dynamic to these subscription plans. The ball is now in Amazon's court.

[TimW]

KU already has audio books. From the FAQ:

When you click on Read for Free on the Kindle book page of an eligible title, you will automatically get access to both the Kindle book and the audiobook.

How many "eligible titles" there are, I couldn't say.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by TimW

KU already has audio books. From the FAQ:

How many "eligible titles" there are, I couldn't say.

Titles Available

• Audible --> 166,000+
• Downpour --> 40,000+
• Scribd --> 30,000+
• Pub Library --> 28,000+
• ChristAud --> 6,200+
• Tantor --> 2,800+
• Kin Unl --> 2,000+

edit: added public libraries - Phoenix Digital and US Navy General both have audiobook collections with over 28,000 titles available.

[TimW]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Titles Available

• Audible --> 166,000+
• Downpour --> 40,000+
• Scribd --> 30,000+
• ChristAud --> 6,200+
• Tantor --> 2,800+
• Kin Unl --> 2,000+

I think I found it...somewhere between 2,100 and 2,300, depending if you include Kindle singles. It appears to work with the Audible app and not merely an immersion thing. I haven't tried it, so I don't know.

Edit: I didn't catch the "30,000 audio books available on Thursday" part. Yep, that's a lot. I imagine that's something Amazon needs to address. Competition is grand!

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by TimW

I think I found it...somewhere between 2,100 and 2,300, depending if you include Kindle singles. It appears to work with the Audible app and not merely an immersion thing. I haven't tried it, so I don't know.

Remember, KU doesn't have the same titles as Scribd. So the matching audiobook titles will be weaker in both quantity and popularity.

Amazon does have a strong ace up its sleeve - Audible. The question is, will they play that card?

[TimW]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Remember, KU doesn't have the same titles as Scribd. So the matching audiobook titles will be weaker in both quantity and popularity.

Amazon does have a strong ace up its sleeve - Audible. The question is, will they play that card?

They'll have to get the publishers of those audiobooks to agree that they may be loaned. Amazon has a fair bit of leverage, so that may be very doable.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by TimW

Edit: I didn't catch the "30,000 audio books available on Thursday" part. Yep, that's a lot. I imagine that's something Amazon needs to address. Competition is grand!

The next thing to do is to compare catalogs and see what's available. Numbers mean nothing if the content isn't to your liking.

[copyrite]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Remember, KU doesn't have the same titles as Scribd. So the matching audiobook titles will be weaker in both quantity and popularity.

Amazon does have a strong ace up its sleeve - Audible. The question is, will they play that card?

I'd resubscribe if so... but at the same price, not any higher.

I've got enough monthly bills as it is that are sending me to the poor farm!

[booklover6]

I tested both my Kindle Fire and my windows phone and can't find audio books on either. Just my desk top.

Has anyone tried it on their android phone?

[Atunah]

They might have to update the apps first. It wouldn't be useful for me much if its just on the desktop.

[TimW]

Originally Posted by booklover6

I tested both my Kindle Fire and my windows phone and can't find audio books on either. Just my desk top.

Has anyone tried it on their android phone?

From what I can see, the audiobooks will NOT play through the Audible app. You will need to use the Kindle app, open the book, and press the play button. Not the best way of handling that, I'll grant you.

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by Atunah

They might have to update the apps first. It wouldn't be useful for me much if its just on the desktop.

Won't be useful for anyone who refuses to update the Scribd app. I'll try it on my Nexus, since I don't read Scribd on it.

[Atunah]

Originally Posted by booklover6

Won't be useful for anyone who refuses to update the Scribd app. I'll try it on my Nexus, since I don't read Scribd on it.

Yeah, I have to stay on 3.6 on my Nexus or I can't read anymore. So I am trying it out on my android phone. I don't read on my phone, but I can use it for audiobooks. Maybe even my old Fire, old as in very first fire released. Not using it for anything else.

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by TimW

From what I can see, the audiobooks will NOT play through the Audible app. You will need to use the Kindle app, open the book, and press the play button. Not the best way of handling that, I'll grant you.

We're talking about the Scribd audio books. We know they won't play through Audible or the Kindle app.

[Catlady]

I don't like being forced into using my phone for audiobooks.