Amazon Kindle Unlimited Becomes Kindle+, Adds More Audiobooks

Amazon is rebranding its Kindle Unlimited subscription to Kindle+, and it’s also expanding its content collection without changing its $11.99 monthly price. In addition to millions of eBooks, comics, manga, and magazines, Amazon Kindle+ is also getting a new collection of AI-narrated audiobooks that will coexist with human-narrated audiobooks.

With a Kindle+ subscription, subscribers can access up to 20 digital books, audiobooks, or comics at once from the Kindle app. For ebooks that have an audiobook version, users can seamlessly switch between text and audio formats without losing their place.

Amazon’s official FAQ for its new Kindle+ subscription doesn’t include any details about the new AI-narrated audiobooks. However, ZDNet has learned that Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) program, which allows authors to self-publish their books on the Kindle platform, now offers a free Virtual Voice service that authors can use to create audiobook versions of their work.

Earlier this year, Amazon started testing AI-powered dubbing for select Prime Video movies and shows, so it’s probably no surprise to see the company offer AI-narrated audiobooks. It’s still up to authors to choose this free Voice Virtual service instead of professional narrators, however.

Amazon’s Kindle+ subscription is available in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, the US, the UK, and other markets where Amazon Kindle Unlimited was already available. If you have an Amazon Prime subscription, you can also read a free book every month through Amazon First Reads and access a curated selection of the Kindle+ catalog.