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|Website=https://www.audible.com/
|Website=https://www.audible.com/
|Description=An audiobook and podcast service
|Description=An audiobook and podcast service
}}'''Audible''' is an audiobook and podcast service company owned by [[Amazon]]. The service platform has a dual content model that allows for individual purchases and downloads as well as streaming content available through a monthly subscription.
}}
 
'''Audible''' is an audiobook and podcast service company owned by [[Amazon]]. The service platform has a dual content model that allows for individual purchases and downloads as well as streaming content available through a monthly subscription.


==Consumer-impact summary==
==Consumer-impact summary==
===Audiobook monopoly===
===Audiobook monopoly===
Amazon, the parent company of Audible, together with its collaboration with Apple Books (who otherwise would be their biggest competitors) controls about 80% of the audiobook market<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Mehta |first=Vaidehi |date=2024-09-24 |title=Authors Battle Amazon Over Audiobook Monopoly |url=https://www.findlaw.com/legalblogs/courtside/authors-battle-amazon-over-audiobook-monopoly/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-16 |website=FindLaw}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Steinberg |first=Martin A. |date=2025-06-25 |title=ANTITRUST—S.D.N.Y.: Romance author’s claims of monopolization against Amazon Audible proceed |url=https://www.vitallaw.com/news/antitrust-s-d-n-y-romance-author-s-claims-of-monopolization-against-amazon-audible-proceed/ald01b74df89519124657a56b4e6c1589c2c8?refURL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ecosia.org%2F#. |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-16 |website=VitalLaw}}</ref>. Audible itself is the world's leading retailer of audiobook purchases with over 60% of domestic and global sales<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2024-06-13 |title=Amazon Audible Audiobook Antitrust |url=https://www.hbsslaw.com/cases/amazon-audible-audiobook-antitrust |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-16 |website=Hagens Berman}}</ref>, leading to widespread criticism of monopoly behavior that include professional attorney valorations<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" />.
Amazon, the parent company of Audible, together with its collaboration with Apple Books (who otherwise would be their biggest competitors) controls about 80% of the audiobook market.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Mehta |first=Vaidehi |date=24 Sep 2024 |title=Authors Battle Amazon Over Audiobook Monopoly |url=https://www.findlaw.com/legalblogs/courtside/authors-battle-amazon-over-audiobook-monopoly/ |url-status=live |access-date=16 Sep 2025 |website=FindLaw}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Steinberg |first=Martin A. |date=25 Jun 2025 |title=ANTITRUST—S.D.N.Y.: Romance author’s claims of monopolization against Amazon Audible proceed |url=https://www.vitallaw.com/news/antitrust-s-d-n-y-romance-author-s-claims-of-monopolization-against-amazon-audible-proceed/ald01b74df89519124657a56b4e6c1589c2c8 |url-status=live |access-date=16 Sep 2025 |website=VitalLaw}}</ref> Audible itself is the world's leading retailer of audiobook purchases with over 60% of domestic and global sales.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=13 Jun 2024 |title=Amazon Audible Audiobook Antitrust |url=https://www.hbsslaw.com/cases/amazon-audible-audiobook-antitrust |url-status=live |access-date=16 Sep 2025 |website=Hagens Berman}}</ref>


===Exclusive file format===
===Exclusive file format===
Audible uses the AAX file format which is developed by them and is DRM-encrypted<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=All about AAX Files |url=https://filext.com/file-extension/AAX |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-16 |website=FILExt}}</ref>, making it so that only Audible-authorizad players can play it<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |first= |date=2024-01-10 |title=Recommended AAX Player for Windows/Mac/Android/iOS |url=https://www.dumpmedia.com/audible-converter/aax-player.html |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-16 |website=DumpMedia}}</ref>. This creates an ecosystem lock-in<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />, causing users to use third-party software to break the DRM in order to listen to the audiobooks they have purchased outside of the Audible platform<ref name=":4" />, as evidenced by the multitude of converters that show up with a cursory "Audible AAX" search on any web browser.
Audible uses the AAX file format which is developed by them and is [[DRM]]-encrypted,<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=All about AAX Files |url=https://filext.com/file-extension/AAX |url-status=live |access-date=16 Sep 2025 |website=FILExt}}</ref> making it so that only Audible-authorized players can play it.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |first= |date=10 Jan 2024 |title=Recommended AAX Player for Windows/Mac/Android/iOS |url=https://www.dumpmedia.com/audible-converter/aax-player.html |url-status=live |access-date=16 Sep 2025 |website=DumpMedia}}</ref> This creates an ecosystem lock-in<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />, forcing users to rely on third-party software to break the DRM in order to listen to the audiobooks they have purchased outside of the Audible platform,<ref name=":4" /> as evidenced by the multitude of converters that show up with a cursory "Audible AAX" search on any web browser.


===Geo-blocking===
===Geo-blocking===
Audible admits to restricting certain content based upon the geographic location of the user<ref>{{Cite web |title=Update your country/marketplace |url=https://help.audible.com/s/article/update-your-country-marketplace?language=en_US |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-16 |website=audible}}</ref>, otherwise a practice known as geo-blocking.
Audible admits to restricting certain content based upon the geographic location of the user,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Update your country/marketplace |url=https://help.audible.com/s/article/update-your-country-marketplace?language=en_US |url-status=live |access-date=16 Sep 2025 |website=audible}}</ref> a practice known as {{Wplink|geo-blocking}}.


===Punishment of non-exclusive deals===
===Treatment of non-exclusives===
Audible has been accussed of strong-arming authors into exclusivity deals<ref name=":0" /> by not only imposing higher distribution fees on non-exclusive distribution (75% in comparison to the 60% for exclusive distribution<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />) but also penalizing those who opt for non-exclusivity with practices such as reduced visibility of their titles, lower search rankings, diminished promotional opportunities<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> and lower royalties (40% for exclusive deals, 25% for non-exclusive ones<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Scarcella |first=Mike |date=2025-06-21 |title=Amazon must face authors' lawsuit over audiobook distribution, US judge rules |url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/amazon-must-face-authors-lawsuit-over-audiobook-distribution-us-judge-rules-2025-06-11/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-16 |website=Reuters}}</ref>). For comparison, the actual cost of distributing the audiobooks is estimated to be around 5% to 10% of the sales price<ref name=":0" />.
Audible has been accused of strong-arming authors into exclusivity deals<ref name=":0" /> by not only imposing higher distribution fees on non-exclusive distribution (75% in comparison to the 60% for exclusive distribution)<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> but also penalizing those who opt for non-exclusivity with practices such as reduced visibility of their titles, lower search rankings, diminished promotional opportunities,<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> and lower royalties (40% for exclusive deals, 25% for non-exclusive ones).<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Scarcella |first=Mike |date=21 Jun 2025 |title=Amazon must face authors' lawsuit over audiobook distribution, US judge rules |url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/amazon-must-face-authors-lawsuit-over-audiobook-distribution-us-judge-rules-2025-06-11/ |url-status=live |access-date=16 Sep 2025 |website=Reuters}}</ref> For comparison, the actual cost of distributing the audiobooks is estimated to be around 5% to 10% of the sales price.<ref name=":0" />


==Incidents==
==Incidents==
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{{Main|Audible subsidizes its streaming plan via premium credits}}
{{Main|Audible subsidizes its streaming plan via premium credits}}


Short summary of the incident (could be the same as the summary preceding the article).
In August 2025, Audible's new royalty structure took effect. It works by spreading the reader's plan value and premium credits across all books the reader listened to during the month, regardless of whether or not the audiobook was purchased or streamed using Audible's streaming service.
 
===Alleged non-consensual enrollment===
===Alleged non-consensual enrollment===
{{Main|Amazon sued for enrolling and charging customers into Audible without consent}}
{{Main|Amazon sued for enrolling and charging customers into Audible without consent}}
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===Controversial encouragement of AI use===
===Controversial encouragement of AI use===
As of 2025, Audible is planning to integrate AI Narration and Translation solutions later in the year starting with a roll-out of select publishers<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-05-13 |title=Audible Expands Catalog with AI Narration and Translation for Publishers |url=https://www.audible.com/about/newsroom/audible-expands-catalog-with-ai-narration-and-translation-for-publishers |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-16 |website=Audible}}</ref>, which has been met with criticism by numerous writers, translators and voice-actors<ref>{{Cite web |last=Knight |first=Lucy |date=2025-05-13 |title=Audible unveils plans to use AI voices to narrate audiobooks |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/may/13/audible-unveils-plans-to-use-ai-voices-to-narrate-audiobooks |url-status=live |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=The Guardian}}</ref>.
As of 2025, Audible is planning to integrate AI Narration and Translation solutions later in the year starting with a roll-out of select publishers,<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 May 2025 |title=Audible Expands Catalog with AI Narration and Translation for Publishers |url=https://www.audible.com/about/newsroom/audible-expands-catalog-with-ai-narration-and-translation-for-publishers |url-status=live |access-date=16 Sep 2025 |website=Audible}}</ref> which has been met with criticism by numerous writers, translators and voice-actorsl.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Knight |first=Lucy |date=13 May 2025 |title=Audible unveils plans to use AI voices to narrate audiobooks |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/may/13/audible-unveils-plans-to-use-ai-voices-to-narrate-audiobooks |url-status=live |access-date=16 Aug 2025 |website=The Guardian}}</ref>


==Products==
<!--==Products==-->
Since 2015, Audible has attempted to create original content throughout the years, but few have proven successful, including short-form content{{Citation needed}}. Now, they seek creator exclusivity by providing attractive deals to podcasters and other creators to publish exclusively on Audible{{Citation needed}}.
==References==
{{Reflist}}


==References==
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[[Category:Amazon]]
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