Amazon rebrands Kindle Unlimited as Kindle+

Amazon has officially renamed its Kindle Unlimited subscription service to "Kindle+". The change does not affect the subscription’s core features, which include unlimited access to a catalog of eligible Kindle books for 9 euros per month.

AI narrators join Kindle+ audio books

The audio book category within Kindle+ will now include titles narrated by AI. This expansion aims to provide users with more listening options and allow authors to include audiobooks narrated by virtual voices without additional costs.

Virtual Voice service for authors

Amazon offers the Virtual Voice service for free to authors participating in the Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) program. This allows authors to have their books narrated by AI at no cost, potentially increasing their reach and accessibility.

Author compensation model unchanged

Authors enrolled in Kindle+ are compensated based on the number of pages read, not per download. Earnings depend on the monthly payment rate and the total number of pages read by subscribers.

Potential concerns about AI narration

Some audiobook listeners may find AI narration less engaging than human narration. This could impact professional narrators who rely on audiobook royalties for their livelihood, as more books may be narrated by AI instead of people.

Listening on Kindle has long been available

Listening to books on Kindle devices and through the Kindle app has been possible for years. Some Kindle Unlimited e-books included free access to audiobooks narrated by professionals, but this was not a universal feature.

Most of Kindle+ remains the same

The Kindle+ subscription undergoes only minimal changes. Amazon will not increase the price, and users will still be able to borrow up to 20 books at a time. The name change is the main update.

Human narrated audiobooks still available elsewhere

Readers seeking audiobooks narrated by humans or dramatized will still need to use platforms like Audible or Libby through their local library. The core reading and borrowing experience on Kindle+ remains largely unchanged.