Amazon has begun testing a new "Kindle Unlimited" subscription service for $9.99, allowing users to read or listen to over 600,000 ebooks and audiobooks at a flat price.
While the test is not public, some pages popped up on the Kindle message boards and were promptly taken down after users noticed.
Such a service would compete directly with Scribd and Oyster, although neither of those companies offer audiobooks.
From what can be surmised from the pages, Algonquin, Bloomsbury, Harvard University Press, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Open Road Media, W.W. Norton and Workman are all publishers that are participating. The majors do not appear to be participating yet. Many of the titles were also older titles already available in the Kindle Owners Lending Library, which gives $99/year Prime subscribers one free book per month.
In the audiobook section, Amazon says there are 7351 "Whispersync for Voice" titles available.
Source:
Gigaom
Such a service would compete directly with Scribd and Oyster, although neither of those companies offer audiobooks.
From what can be surmised from the pages, Algonquin, Bloomsbury, Harvard University Press, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Open Road Media, W.W. Norton and Workman are all publishers that are participating. The majors do not appear to be participating yet. Many of the titles were also older titles already available in the Kindle Owners Lending Library, which gives $99/year Prime subscribers one free book per month.
In the audiobook section, Amazon says there are 7351 "Whispersync for Voice" titles available.
Source:
Gigaom
