Amazon Kindle apps can now play Audible audiobooks

by Jacob Kastrenakes

Jun 10, 2014, 2:37 PM UTC

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Jacob Kastrenakes is The Verge’s executive editor. He has covered tech, policy, and online creators for over a decade.

Amazon's Whispersync service has made it easy for readers to quickly switch back and forth between an ebook and an audiobook for a couple years now, letting owners of both pick up either copy at the exact spot where they left off, and now Amazon's making the feature even more seamless. With an update to the iOS and Android Kindle apps today, it'll be possible to make the switch between ebook and audiobook right inside of the app, rather than having to jump from the Kindle app over to the Audible audiobook app, as was previously necessary.

Amazon’s been pushing this integration forward for a little while, and now it’s really starting to strengthen Kindle’s integration with Audible, which has largely stayed separate since being purchased in 2008. Whispersync for Voice was introduced in 2012, and a year later Amazon began allowing owners of Kindle ebooks to purchase discounted copies of Audible audiobooks. Audible’s CEO says that it’s seen a strong response to the integration, and it’s certainly a neat and convenient trick for anyone who likes switching between formats as they read.

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