Amazon has updated its Kindle app for those of you who use Goodreads. A new splash screen is appearing, letting customers know that creating or viewing Goodreads shelves is leaving the Kindle app and that the only way to view them is to visit the Goodreads website. This only affects the Kindle app for iOS; the Kindle app for Android hasn’t had the shelf feature for a while.
Amazon has owned Goodreads for over a decade. With this most recent change, it is evident that Goodreads wants people to use their official app instead of the Kindle app. The main reason for this is to target recommendations for the books you have read; Goodreads earns a commission whenever someone purchases a book from their website. They also can better track users’ activities.
The Amazon Kindle e-reader still has complete Goodreads integration, which will not change for long. You can continue viewing and creating custom shelves on any e-readers.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.