Amazon Introduces “Netflix for Books”-Style Service

AP reports that Amazon is rolling out a new service that—for $9.99 a month—allows Kindle users unlimited access to “thousands of electronic books and audiobooks.” It’s called Kindle Unlimited. 

The company said Friday that the Kindle Unlimited service will give users the ability to read as much as they want from more than 600,000 Kindle titles such as “The Hunger Games” and “Diary of a Wimpy Kid.” They can also listen as much as they want to thousands of Audible audiobooks, including “Water for Elephants.”

Amazon is offering a free 30-day trial to entice users to try the service. The move is a switch from Amazon’s latest efforts, which have all been about adding services to its Prime loyalty program. The company has recently launched a video streaming box and grocery delivery service, unveiled plans for a smartphone and expanded its Sunday delivery service, all for members of Prime. But Kindle Unlimited is for anyone with a Kindle device or app who wants to subscribe.

The service kicks off today (Friday, July 18th)—and is available through Kindle devices and Kindle reading apps on your smartphones. To figure out which titles are eligible, look for a Kindle Unlimited logo. More info in the video below: