Skip to main content

New iOS Kindle app opens up buffet of Kindle Unlimited books

A Kindle on the beach.
Amazon
Amazon pushed out a major update to its iOS Kindle app that brings it up to speed with competing apps such as Oyster and Scribd. The Kindle app now supports book browsing for Kindle Unlimited subscribers, Goodreads recommendations, Audible progressive play, and more.

Oddly enough, when Kindle Unlimited arrived earlier this year, Amazon didn’t update the Kindle app to allow for in-app book browsing. Users had to check out books from Amazon’s website and send them to the Kindle app on their phones or tablets. Now, iOS users can use Amazon’s Book Browser to look for their next book in Kindle Unlimited’s massive, 700,000-book library.

If you’re not sure which book you want to read next, you can tap on it to see the book description, customer reviews, and a sample. As soon as they find the book they’re looking for, they can simply start reading without leaving the app. You can also add books to your wish list, so you don’t forget what you want to read next. For some inexplicable reason, the Book Browser feature isn’t available on iPhones. Only those with iPads can take advantage of the new browser.

Regardless of whether you read on your iPad or iPhone, the Kindle app will give you recommendations from Goodreads, the social book sharing site Amazon bought a while back. If you’re already a Goodreads user, you can share reading progress updates, highlights, and more directly in the book while you’re reading. Avid readers may also share quotes on social media or rate and review the book they just finished on Goodreads and Amazon.

To help you find what to read next, the Kindle app will recommend books to you based on your previous purchases. If you’re reading a series, Amazon will automatically show you the next book in the series, let you read an excerpt, and even add it to your wish list. Last but not least, the company added Audible progressive play, which allows you to start playing audiobooks while they’re downloading.

Overall, it’s a pretty comprehensive update, and one that’s sure to up the ante in the all-you-can-eat ebook subscription app competition. If you don’t have the Kindle app on your phone, you can get it for free from the iOS App Store.

Editors' Recommendations

Malarie Gokey
Former Digital Trends Contributor
As DT's Mobile Editor, Malarie runs the Mobile and Wearables sections, which cover smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and…
10 reasons you should buy an iPhone in 2024
Purple iPhone 14 (left) and a green iPhone 15 in hand.

The iPhone 15 lineup — which includes the standard iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Pro — is the iPhone at its best. It's the latest series of iPhones available today and the default choice if you're buying a new iPhone in 2024.

But it’s not the only choice of iPhones you can purchase. In fact, Apple still sells the iPhone 14, iPhone 13, and the iPhone SE on its website. You could also find other iPhone models available – refurbished or new — from other retailers or carrier stores.

Read more
We now know when Apple is adding RCS to the iPhone
The iPhone 14 Plus held in a man's hand.

Last November, Apple made a surprise announcement when it confirmed that RCS was coming to the iPhone in 2024. It's something iPhone and Android phone users alike have been waiting years for, but there was just one small problem: Apple never said when in 2024 RCS was coming. Thanks to Google, of all companies, we now have a better idea of when RCS is heading to the iPhone.

As spotted by 9to5Google, the Android website was recently updated with a new page dedicated to Google Messages. If you click on the "See more features" button for the section talking about RCS, there's a section titled "Better messaging for all" with the following text: "Apple has announced it will be adopting RCS in the fall of 2024. Once that happens, it will mean a better messaging experience for everyone."

Read more
iOS 18 could make my iPhone look like Android, and I hate it
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra's rear panels.

If rumors are to be believed, iOS 18 will allow you to customize the home screen on your iPhone more substantially than ever before. This feature will be familiar to Android phone owners, but I don’t want my iPhone to look like an Android phone.

It’s a weird double-edged sword, as by giving you more freedom to make the home screen look unique, iOS may also lose what makes it unique compared to the less constrained world of Android.
iOS 18 and your iPhone home screen

Read more