Audiobooks.com today announced free Android and iOS apps that allow the downloading and streaming of audio books on Android phones and tablets, as well as iPhones, iPod touches, and iPads. You can download the apps for free from the Apple App Store and the Google Play store.
While the apps are free to download, you have to be an Audiobooks.com member to actually use them, although they do let you browse and play book previews without logging in. The service works on a subscription basis: unlimited access to downloadable content will set you back $24.95 per month.
The apps have a few unique features. The first is automatic bookmarking, which ensures you never lose your place. You can always pick up wherever you left off across all devices (think Amazon Kindle). There’s even a sleep timer that lets you set a time to turn off, so an audio book won’t continue playing indefinitely if you fall asleep. Lastly, the apps automatically pause listening when you receive a phone call.
The Android and iOS apps do have a limitation, despite the fact the company claiming they are “designed to give members maximum flexibility”: they only let you download up to two audio books at a time on your mobile device. The good news is you can automatically stream or download books via Wi-Fi or via a data plan and save books so you’ll always have something new. Furthermore, you still get unlimited access to the full Audiobooks.com library: there are no restrictions on the number of audio books you can download or stream.
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Audiobooks.com members have been able to stream content to mobile devices running Android 2.3+ and iOS 4.0+ since January 2012. The apps (which allow downloading in addition to streaming) were only announced now, however, although the corresponding app stores show the Android app is at version 1.29 while the iOS app is at version 1.2. The company has yet to discuss apps for BlackBerry or Windows Phone.
Audiobooks.com features a steadily growing library, though the company won’t reveal its plans to add content. It currently has over 10,000 best sellers and new releases.
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