Audible’s new ‘Read & Listen’ feature syncs your Kindle ebooks with audiobooks

Source: TechCrunch

Overview

Only days after Spotify announced its foray into physical book sales with an audiobook feature that lets you sync your listening and offline reading progress, Amazon‑owned Audible has launched an “immersion reading” feature. The new Read & Listen mode lets readers who own both the ebook and audiobook versions of a title in their Audible and Kindle libraries read the ebook’s text while the audio plays, with real‑time highlighting synced to the narration. Users can also switch between formats across devices.

How it works

• The Kindle app already offered a tool that allowed readers to move between the Audible version and the ebook when both had been purchased.
• The feature is now available directly in the Audible app for the first time.
• Customers must own both the ebook and the audiobook, but Audible will offer discounted audiobooks to customers who already own the matching ebook.
• While in “Read & Listen” mode, the text is highlighted in real time as the narration progresses.

Availability and Supported Languages

• At launch, hundreds of thousands of titles will be supported, including titles in English, German, Spanish, Italian, and French.
• The feature is initially available in the U.S., with roll‑outs planned for the U.K., Australia, and Germany over the next few months.
• Audible automatically identifies Kindle ebooks that have matching audiobooks within the app, making eligible titles easy to discover.

Benefits and Use Cases

• Students and language learners can reinforce comprehension by reading and listening simultaneously.
• Readers who want to speed through more books can switch between formats without losing their place.
• The feature is useful for those who enjoy narration by a favorite voice actor or need pronunciation guidance for character names, especially in fantasy novels.
• According to Audible’s internal data and industry research, the combination of reading and listening can improve focus and comprehension.
• Customers who use both formats are the most engaged, consuming nearly twice as much content per month as audiobook‑only users.

Quote

“Audiobooks count as reading,” said Andy Tsao, Chief Product Officer at Audible, in a statement about the launch. “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.”

Impact on Publishers

Amazon notes that the new feature will not affect publishers’ royalty payments.