Audible is set to expand beyond traditional audiobook listening with three new features designed to make stories more interactive and easier to explore. The Amazon-owned audiobook service introduced tools that let listeners keep track of characters, discover additional information about places mentioned in a book and, in selected titles, have conversations with fictional characters. The move comes as Audible faces growing competition in the audiobook market, including from Spotify.
The company is initially rolling out the features across a small number of titles rather than its entire catalog. Audible says the aim is to give listeners more ways to engage with stories without disrupting the core audiobook experience.
One of the new features is Character Guide, designed to solve a common audiobook problem: remembering who is speaking. The feature launches with Audible's new production of Dracula and identifies the speaker in real time on the player screen.
Listeners will also see spoiler-free character cards containing information about the characters and the narrators portraying them. Audible plans to eventually let users ask questions about characters and the story as they continue listening. The guide will also be available with Audible's production of George Orwell's 1984 and the upcoming Exoplanet.
Audible is also introducing Interactive Stories, which use generative AI to let listeners participate in a separate experience based on a book. The first example will accompany Dracula, allowing users to interact with Renfield, one of the story's characters.
The experience begins with the character giving the listener a role, objective, and stakes. Users can then respond in their own words, with the character reacting in real time. Audible says authors and creators help establish the characters, story foundations, and key moments so the experience remains connected to the original work.
“These new features invite listeners into a story in ways that simply weren’t possible before, marking the latest step in our nearly 30-year journey to push audio storytelling forward,” said Audible’s Chief Content Officer Rachel Ghiazza in a statement about the launch. “We’re excited to build on these while working hand in hand with creators, because we know that more time spent with stories benefits everyone who helps bring them to life,” Ghiazza added.
Also Read: Smart Speaker vs AI Speaker: How New AI Features are Changing Home Audio
The third feature, Visual Explorer, adds images and information about places, landmarks, and other subjects mentioned in an audiobook. It will initially launch with The Cultural Tutor: A Modern Guide to History, Art and Philosophy in 49 Short Chapters.
The feature is intended to give listeners additional context without taking them away from the audiobook. According to Audible, the first title will use imagery and information connected to locations across six European cities.