When you browse Apple Books for your next audiobook, you might come across a few titles with a note that says they were "Narrated by Apple Books." That's because the tech giant has released a catalogue of titles that make use of its new AI-powered digital narration service. The company said the service uses the advanced speech synthesis technology it developed "to produce high-quality audiobooks from an ebook file." According to The Guardian, Apple approached independent publishers who may be interested in teaming up for the project's launch in recent months. Authors were reportedly told that the company behind the technology would shoulder the costs of turning their books into audiobooks and that they would be earning royalties. Apple, as secretive as ever, apparently remained unnamed at that point of the process and required partners to sign non-disclosure agreements. In its announcement, Apple touched on how commissioning voice actors and producing audiobooks could cost writers and publishers thousands of dollars. For independent authors, especially those just starting out, it's not always possible to spare that much money. But thing is, the audiobook market has grown tremendously in recent years — it earned $1.6 billion in sales in 2021, and experts reportedly believe the market could be worth over $35 billion by 2030. Authors wouldn't only be missing out on potential income by not creating audiobook versions of their titles, but also the opportunity to build their... Continue reading at 'Engadget'
[ Engadget | 2023-01-05 13:10:59 UTC ]
Over the last decade there has been a push towards better representation in visual media. While movies and television have provided more examples of non-white characters in key roles, there has also been an uptick in linguistic diversity in film. Movies like Lulu Wang’s The Farewell, which slips... Continue reading at Electric Literature
[ Electric Literature | 2021-08-17 11:00:00 UTC ]
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With sales in nonfiction categories all falling again, unit sales of print books declined 4.9% last week compared to the week ended July 25, 2020, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-07-29 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Dawn French will narrate an audiobook edition of Giles Andreae’s I Love My… picture books for Bolinda, the first time any of the series will be produced in audio. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-07-28 01:59:59 UTC ]
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If 2020’s UK print book sales were buoyant, the first half of 2021 looks to have been still better—as far as can be deduced given the data gaps caused by lockdown. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-07-16 20:17:25 UTC ]
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The digital arm of Lindhardt & Ringhof, Saga Egmont further expands its efforts to penetrate the Spanish-language audiobook market. The post Audiobooks: Denmark’s Saga Egmont Partners With Spain’s Roca Editorial appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-07-14 17:45:23 UTC ]
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'NPD Books' Brenna Connor says there's a possibility that the American market will go into the autumn with double-digit year-to-date gains. The post NPD BookScan: US June Print Book Sales Up 2.8 Million Over 2020 appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-07-12 17:32:28 UTC ]
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#LoveAudio, the Publishers Association's annual audiobook campaign, will return for a fifth year this month. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-07-10 01:47:32 UTC ]
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HarperCollins is releasing a new unabridged audiobook of J R R Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings in three parts in September, read by Andy Serkis, who starred as Gollum in the blockbuster movies. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-07-07 11:53:26 UTC ]
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The Ashland, Ore.–based independent audiobook publisher is seeing double-digit growth for CDs and MP3-CDs thanks to new partnerships, even as other publishers abandon the formats. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-06-25 04:00:00 UTC ]
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J K Rowling's Cormoran Strike series, written under the name Robert Galbraith, have hit an audiobook milestone for Little, Brown ahead of the fifth novel's paperback release. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-06-21 11:49:14 UTC ]
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Publishing houses in Romania are working together to produce the Echo audiobook subscription platform, a first in its market. The post Beat Technology Is Developing Romania’s First Audiobook Program appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-06-14 04:05:13 UTC ]
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Bookwire, the international e-book and audiobook distribution platform, is launching its services in the U.S. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-06-04 04:00:00 UTC ]
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In 2020, the Audio Publishers Association sales report finds more than 71,000 audiobooks were published in the US, up 39 percent over 2019. The post Audio Publishers Association Cites 12-Percent 2020 US Audiobook Revenue Growth appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-06-01 13:14:36 UTC ]
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The Audio Publishers Association’s annual review of the audiobook market found another year of double-digit sales increases as well as a profound shift in listening habits. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-06-01 04:00:00 UTC ]
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RBmedia has acquired the audiobook publishing business of McGraw-Hill Professional in a deal that adds about 400 business books to the audio publisher's list, chief content officer Troy Juliar said. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-05-11 04:00:00 UTC ]
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These awards include recognition for rights professionals, audiobook publishers, bookstores, educational learning resources, and more. The post London Book Fair: The 2021 International Excellence Awards Shortlist appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-05-10 13:31:32 UTC ]
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Unit sales of print books rose 24% last week over the comparable week in 2020. Sales of travel books continued to rebound after a disastrous 2020, and graphic novel sales soared again. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-04-29 04:00:00 UTC ]
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New figures from the Publishers Association show fiction and audiobooks did particularly well, with value of consumer sales up 7% on 2019 despite bookshop closuresFiction sales in 2020 soared by more than £100m for UK publishers, as readers locked down at home made their escape into books, with... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2021-04-26 23:01:49 UTC ]
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Kids can enjoy audiobooks and podcasts too thanks to the child-friendly Yoto Player and its library. Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2021-04-23 13:00:10 UTC ]
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Strong book sales continue in Q1 of 2021, with print sales up 29 percent in the US. And in 2020, ebook sales increased by 17 percent. The post US First-Quarter 2021 Print Book Sales Grew 29 Percent appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-04-19 16:24:12 UTC ]
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