It’s been roughly ten years since Amazon launched its Kindle app for a variety of platforms, and today the company has announced its biggest update since that time. The newly revamped reading app brings with it a number of key changes that readers have been asking for.
“We’ve built the new Kindle app from the ground up for book lovers, giving readers easy access to everything they might want to do with their books, all in one place,” said Chuck Moore, Vice President, Kindle in a press release. “It’s now easier than ever to turn your phone or tablet into a book and immerse yourself in an author’s world at any time.”
The new look and feel, easier navigation, resized book covers, and other bells and whistles aren’t really the game changers in this app update, though. The integration with Amazon-owned Goodreads lets you interact with other book lovers about a title without having to leave the app. Opening the Goodreads tab allows you to see a full-color list of what your Goodreads friends are reading, as well as offers you the option to click “want to read” right on the screen.
“For as long as there have been books, people have discussed them with friends,” said Otis Chandler, CEO and co-founder of Goodreads. “When you finish an amazing book, you can’t wait to find out if other readers feel the same way. Readers trust their friends for recommendations, with around half of them saying they discover books through word-of-mouth. With the new features on Kindle, connecting with your friends and similar readers in the Goodreads community is now built into the app.”
The app update itself will already available in the iOS and Google Play app stores and will be rolling out as an over-the-air update this week. In conjunction with the news of the update, Amazon announced a special promotional sale going on today and tomorrow: “Today through Oct 25th, Kindle is celebrating its 10-year anniversary by offering some of the best Kindle deals of the season.”
Here is a rundown of the new changes
- All-New Look—The Kindle app features a new look and feel inspired by books. Details include larger book covers, new fonts, a new app icon, and new light and dark background themes to choose from.
- One-Tap Access—New bottom bar navigation automatically shows an icon of the book you’re currently reading, making it easier than ever to get back to reading at any moment. The bottom bar also provides quick access to Kindle’s most popular features allowing you to switch between the pages of your book, your library, your personal bookstore, and more.
- Easy Search—The search bar is now always available throughout the app, so whether a book is in your library or among the millions of titles in the Kindle Store, it’s easier than ever to find it.
Mercy Pilkington is a Senior Editor for Good e-Reader. She is also the CEO and founder of a hybrid publishing and consulting company.
