Apple's new audiobook narration service uses AI voices

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 ]
News tagged with: #print book #limited number #editorial review #apple books #audiobook

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Apple's new audiobook narration service uses AI voices'


Jack Black and Samira Wiley to narrate Minecraft audiobook

Penguin Random House is recording two editions of its Minecraft novel's audiobook - one narrated by actor Jack Black and the other by actress Samira Wiley - to reflect the fact that its protagonist is "gender neutral".  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #gender neutral


Sanjeev Bhaskar to narrate Life of Pi audiobook

Actor and writer Sanjeev Bhaskar is to narrate the Man Booker Prize-winning novel Life of Pi  by Yann Martel (Canongate). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-05-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Redmayne to narrate Fantastic Beasts audiobook

Eddie Redmayne will narrate an audiobook version of J K Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Pottermore has announced. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-01-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #eddie redmayne #audiobook version #fantastic beasts


Apple joins Amazon, Google and Facebook in AI research group

Apple published its first paper on AI last month and now the company is set to join five others in a newly-formed research group. The Partnership on AI announced today that Apple would become its sixth founding member, adding to a lineup that already... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2017-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


iBooks StoryTime app narrates children's stories on your Apple TV

To encourage parents and kids to read together, Apple has debuted a new app for tvOS. The iBooks StoryTime app features "Read-Aloud" tool that narrates books and flips pages automatically. For the times when you'd rather read to your child yourself,... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2016-11-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #apple tv


eMusic Launches Audiobook Subscription Service

TriPlay CEO Tamir Koch hopes eStories will attact audiobook consumers through low prices and more device choices. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-08-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #low prices


eMusic Relaunches Audiobook Service as eStories

The digital music subscription service that launched in the late '90s is rebranding and relaunching its audiobook program under the new name eStories. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-07-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


China shuts down two Apple services

China has shut down Apple's online book and movie services as it imposes strict rules governing what can be published on the net. Continue reading at BBC World

[ BBC World | 2016-04-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #apple services #online book


Apple Just Expanded Its Music Streaming Service Into China

Apple began offering its three-month-old music streaming service as well as movies and electronic books in China on Wednesday, promising a library of content geared toward its most important market outside of the U.S.Apple Music, the iPhone maker's answer to streaming services Spotify and... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2015-09-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #iphone maker #california-based company #taylor swift


Findaway, TuneIn Partner for Audiobook Subscription Service

TuneIn Premium will give subscribers access to unlimited content, including more than 40,000 audiobooks powered by Findaway, from publishers including Penguin Random House Audio, HarperCollins Publishers, and Hachette Audio. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-08-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #harpercollins publishers #hachette audio


Scribd Switching to Two-Tier Audiobook Service

Continuing to tinker with its subscription ebook business model, Scribd has unveiled a two-tier audiobook service that will restrict unlimited access while instituting a credit-based system and payment for access to certain titles. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-08-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Reese Witherspoon will narrate 'Go Set a Watchman' audiobook

'As a Southerner, it is an honor and privilege to give voice to the Southern characters who inspired my childhood love of reading, Scout and Atticus Finch,' the 'Wild' actress said in a statement. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2015-04-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #reese witherspoon #atticus finch


Apple finally realized that audiobooks aren't music

Have you scratched your head wondering why Apple would put audiobooks in iOS' music player, rather than... y'know, a book app? So has Apple. Besides a redesigned music app, the early iOS 8.4 beta also moves audiobooks into iBooks, where they arguably... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2015-04-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book app


Audiobook service Bardowl to close

Bardowl, the audiobook streaming service that launched to the public in 2012, is to close this week. In an email to subscribers the service noted: “It is with great disappointment that ​I have to tell you that we are closing Bardowl. From next Wednesday your subscription will not renew, and at... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Scribd adds 30,000 audiobooks to its subscription service

Scribd's ebook subscription service seems to be making some inroads on Amazon's turf, and now the company is looking to take a swipe at Audible's lunch. From today, subscribers will be able to access a library of 30,000 audiobook titles that include... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-11-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #subscription service


Scribd Rolls Out the Internet’s First All-You-Can-Listen Audiobooks Service

The rise of the Subscription Economy continues. Little more than a year after launching its all-you-can-read ebook service, the San Francisco startup Scribd has announced that the service now offers more than 30,000 audiobooks, including titles from big-name publishing houses HarperCollins and... Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2014-11-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #including titles


Will Amazon offer an unlimited ebook and audiobook service?

Some Amazon users spotted an ad for a Kindle Unlimited service, which would let users access as many ebook and audio titles as they wanted (within a certain library) for $9.99 a month. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-07-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #audiobook service #users access #audio titles


Oprah to Narrate Upcoming Audiobook

Macmillan Audio has announced that Oprah Winfrey is in the studio narrating the audiobook for "What I Know For Sure." Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #oprah winfrey #macmillan audio


Amazon Audible hits WP 7.5: gesture controlled audiobooks, but no voice control

It didn't land in the Marketplace yesterday as announced, but Amazon's Audible audio book app for Windows Phone 7.5 is now available for download. This Metro-fied version of the app is free to install (including some short samples to get you started), and signing in with your Amazon account lets... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ll find #source link


Digital audiobook service launches

A new subscription-based digital audiobook service has launched with ambitions to double the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-06-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |