Amazon Testing 'Kindle Unlimited' E-book Subscription Service

Wednesday July 16, 2014 11:05 am PDT by Juli Clover

Amazon appears to be testing a new e-book and audiobook subscription service it's calling "Kindle Unlimited," which brings unlimited access to 600,000 e-books and thousands of audiobooks for a fee of $9.99 per month.

According to information discovered by users on the KBoards Kindle forum (via Gigaom) the Kindle Unlimited service will be available on all devices, including the iPhone and the iPad likely via Amazon's Kindle app. Amazon has pulled the pages that were found this morning, but information on the service can still be seen through Google Cache and a single test page.

kindleunlimited
The now defunct Kindle Unlimited section on Amazon.com lists several popular e-book titles, including Water for Elephants, Life of Pi and the entire series of Harry Potter and Hunger Games books. The titles appear to mirror many of those available through Amazon's existing Kindle Owners' Lending Library, a service that allows Kindle-owning Amazon Prime subscribers to rent free e-books.

There are several existing e-book subscription services like those from Oyster and Scribd, but Amazon has a larger catalog of books to offer, advertising more than 600,000 titles compared to Oyster's 500,000 and Scribd's 400,000, plus more than 7,000 audiobooks. Thus far, Kindle Unlimited appears to include books from publishers like Open Road Media, Workman, Algonquin, Bloomsbury, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

It is unknown when Amazon might officially launch its Kindle Unlimited subscription service and thus far, it has not made a statement regarding the test pages.

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Top Rated Comments

Cougarcat

154 months ago

I don't know how to get a book from my library with my pants off while laying in bed (theoretically). Could you explain how?

Many public libraries have ebook libraries.

Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

matty.p

154 months ago

aka a public library...

Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

yaxomoxay

154 months ago

I don't know how to get a book from my library with my pants off while laying in bed (theoretically). Could you explain how?

At our public library we offer free ebook rentals through Overdrive and other providers. The selection is quite good, latest releases are usually available.
In addition we provide a Books on Wheels program for elderly and handicapped.
In Houston the first 100% digital public library was recently opened, and I was told by a librarian that it's top notch in both available services and quality.

Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

ActionableMango

154 months ago

I don't know how to get a book from my library with my pants off while laying in bed (theoretically). Could you explain how?

Sure. I log into the library website and search for a title. All the variations come up in the results (hardcover, audiobook, ebook). I select the ebook and check it out, selecting the Kindle format. The library's website redirects me to Amazon, where I click to download it to my iPad. I start up the Kindle app on the iPad and it's there.

At some point in the future, Amazon sends me a note that my check out is about to expire and a few days later the ebook is no longer accessible through the Kindle app. If I haven't finished the book, I have to check it out again. Or, I can simply turn on Airport mode before I launch the Kindle app, and the book will stay there even after the expiration period.

Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)