Amazon launches "Netflix for books" in Australia

Do you have the need to read? If so, Amazon's latest offer could be right up your alley. For $13.99 per month, you can nab yourself a Kindle Unlimited subscription, a service that's ostensibly Netflix for books. Once you're a member, you've got unlimited access to over one million e-books and audio-books in Amazon's Kindle library.

Titles available at launch include the Harry Potter series, The Bourne Engima, The Dressmaker, City of Bones, and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

"For less than the cost of a best-selling paperback, readers now have unlimited access to over one million titles, allowing them to discover new authors and books, including top sellers and tens of thousands of inspiring stories from local authors," said Amazon Vice President for Kindle Content, David Naggar. 

"Readers around the world have shown how much they love using Kindle Unlimited and they are finding more books inside and outside the service as a result. We are delighted to now offer Australian customers access to this vast selection of titles, ranging from modern fiction, to timeless classics all for just $13.99 a month."

While Kindle Unlimited obviously works with Kindle e-readers, it's also compatible with any device that you can install the Kindle app on. This includes iPhone, iPad, Windows, Mac, and Android smartphones and tablets.

There are however a couple of restrictions worth noting. You'll only be able to download 10 books to your device at once; if you want to get an 11th, you'll need to "return" one. And as with Netflix, don't expect to find new releases available on Kindle Unlimited; if you're after a recently released e-book, you'll have to buy it the old-fashioned way.

Amazon is however offering a 30-day free trial of Kindle Unlimited, so it's pretty easy to check out what's on offer.

Kindle Unlimited first launched internationally in mid-2014.

Alex Choros

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Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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