Kindle App For iOS Gets Updated With Goodreads And More

Amazon just recently released an updated version of the Kindle app for iOS devices, now available on iTunes. This time, the new and improved app now has several new features that include integration with Amazon's own Goodreads (bought by Amazon last year) and personalized book recommendations, among many others. As for those who are subscribers of Kindle Unlimited, they get access to more than 700,000 titles in the Kindle app. 

The enhanced Kindle app is not that surprising. The Kindle software after all was just recently upgraded last month. And like the Kindle app, the Kindle software had also integrated with Goodreads, as well as incorporating changes that cascaded through other Amazon Kindle e-reader hardware devices.

Most bookworms already know about Goodreads. It is sort of a social network for booklovers, a place online where they can recommend titles to their friends and contacts, review and rate books of different genres, or share their latest progress regarding the book they are currently reading. 

But when Amazon acquired it last year, Goodreads is set for more exposure, and will no doubt increase in popularity as more Amazon users start to use it. 

And being integrated with the Kindle app certainly does not hurt. Now, iOS users will be able to rate and review books on Goodreads through the Kindle app's "Before You Go" section at the end of each book.

Another notable addition to the Kindle app is the Book Browser for iPad users. The Book Browser allows readers subscribing under the Kindle Unlimited service to explore titles and then start reading right at that moment. 

This should sound like heaven to Kindle users. For years, Amazon has been avoiding sharing a portion of its revenues with Apple by not allowing any option to purchase titles in the app. What users used to do was shop directly from Amazon instead, then sync the books to their respective mobile apps after buying them. 

But since Kindle Unlimited is a subscription that lets users read gazillions of books for $9.99 every month, there is no need to restrict them from exploring titles and then immediately start reading the ones they find interesting.

Amazon is quick to note however that subscribers of Kindle Unlimited will not be able to sign up for the service via the iOS app. They will have to go to Amazon's Kindle Unlimited page in order to do so. 

Another additional feature to the Kindle app is a nifty book recommendation system that allows users to choose their favorite genres and rate titles they have read or want to read in order to get recommendations of new books to try. There is no doubt that those who are already Goodreads will find this familiar. But what makes this extra interesting in the Kindle app is that users will be able to download a free sample of the recommended titles via the app.

Lastly, book details can now be displayed simply by long-pressing the book's cover as seen in the library. Apparently, a lot of users have been requesting this feature for a long time already. Also, audiobooks can now start playing before they are done downloading, and a "Next in Series" feature will let users get information about the next installment and add that title to their wish list.