Audible Is Now Testing Ads In Your Audiobooks For Some Reason

[leebase]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I'll worry about it when, or if, I have to. I'm guessing no one with a paid subscription need worry.

Bingo. Sound and fury signifying nothing. I have been an Audible user since back when you got a device from them to listen with. I have a couple hundred audio books I've payed for.

They've added podcasts and a fair amount of other stuff - but for me, it's still about buying credits and specific books.

I don't see that changing...for me.

[Paperbackstash]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

What could go wrong?

"He gripped the sturdy ax, stalking down the dusty, abandoned hallway... There! Behind a thin wooden door, he could sense their cowering. They would be his! He raised the ax..."

"One Eight Seven Seven Kars for Kids! Donate your car today!"

If you do not live in the US and are lucky enough to never have been exposed to this hateful ear-worm, enjoy:

[Renate]

Wow, that is really an evil earworm.
I made it to the first "4 kids" before staggering to the back button.

[Paperbackstash]

https://www.howtogeek.com/882973/aud...ur-audiobooks/
Just saw this pop up while browsing in news

The article doesn't make sense though. Said rolling out for select users in a trial basis but will likely only apply to free tier like Spotify. No users are free tier though. Premium plus streaming is paid. If they roll out a free option for ads later, fine, but these current tester accounts ugh. I mainly stay with Audible now due to the premium catalogue and sales

Unless they are creating new free accounts now behind the scenes as the testers

[Aleron Ives]

Even if this doesn't affect paying members now, you can bet that Audible will raise prices in the future if you want to keep the advertising away.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by Aleron Ives

Even if this doesn't affect paying members now, you can bet that Audible will raise prices in the future if you want to keep the advertising away.

Speculation. We don't know what they have in mind for an ad-supported model. Will it include credits to 'purchase' content, for example.

There are no direct comparisons available, it will not be the same as video streaming services, which have intense competition and are barely making money and are raising ad-free subscription pricing. Audible practically has a monopoly and very little competition except for library borrowing.

In fact I am paying less for the current year than in the past, and it includes Audible Plus content.

I probably won't renew this year, but only because I have a huge backlog of content and have cherry picked the Audible Plus content and won't miss it. It's not so much about saving money -- it's as good a value as ever -- it is more about reducing distractions.

I used to have lengthy commutes to consume audio content, but have retired. I have more time overall, but prefer to listen to music rather than podcasts or audiobooks. When I've taken breaks before, they have always eventually come along with a special rate to 'return'. Works for me!

I still don't have a good picture of the prospective customers for an ad-supported model. It seems unlikely to include the entire Audible catalog (new books etc). I could see them offering Audible Plus catalog plus podcasts for free, with ads. And maybe they throw in some discounts for purchasing other content.

I cannot even see what plans are available. When I go to the web page in private window the only thing on offer is $14.95/mo. I've always done annual plans, and assume when in trial that's on offer as well.

[Desertway]

There is something of a free tier now. Maybe they'll just expand this offering, with ads included. I've listened to a few these *without* an Audible membership and have not heard any ads so far.

https://www.audible.com/ep/FreeListens

[Paperbackstash]

Originally Posted by Desertway

There is something of a free tier now. Maybe they'll just expand this offering, with ads included. I've listened to a few these *without* an Audible membership and have not heard any ads so far.

https://www.audible.com/ep/FreeListens

Right now they are just rolling this testing feature out to select accounts from what I understand.

[Aleron Ives]

Originally Posted by tomsem

Speculation. We don't know what they have in mind for an ad-supported model.

Yep, but it's naive to think we have no idea what the plans might be. The fact that Audible is doing this at all suggests it wants to make more money, and all subscription businesses raise prices eventually. What is introduced as a basic plan with advertising can easily be rebranded as the standard plan in the future, with the standard plan being rebranded as a premium ad-free plan with a higher price. It's only a matter of time.