Audible changes its membership model – probably in a good way

If you have an Audible gold or platinum membership, you now have access to a ton of books to listen to--without giving up a credit per book. The company introduced the Audible Plus plan to existing members on Monday.

"Audible Plus offers members greater selection through unlimited access to a robust catalog that includes over 68,000 hours of content and 11,000+ titles from across the content spectrum," including fiction, mysteries, etc. etc. 

For example, I'm reading a Swedish mystery novel that's part of a series. I wondered if it was part of the Audible Plus library. Sure enough, it was, along with all the other 9 books in the series. I haven't tested it fully, but my hunch is that the Audible Plus books are not hot-off-the-audio-presses books. More like the back list and classics.

The plan seems to act a bit like Apple Music or Spotify, in that a book you don't buy (or buy with a credit) is not yours to keep if you leave Audible. And the books included change. There's a FAQ on this page, at the bottom.

Full details are here, in Audible's press release.