Amazon announced in a press release today that its Kindle app is getting a complete overhaul in an over-the-air update starting this week. With the update, users will be able to more seamlessly control their reading experience as well as record, chat about, and rate their current reads with their friends.
The Kindle app's new look is clean and minimal, and inspired by exactly what you'd think it would be inspired by — books. The covers are larger, there are all-new fonts, and even the app icon got a redesign. Best of all, there's now a light mode and a dark mode so you can reduce eye strain while browsing your library and recommendations. The improved interface is really distraction-free and intuitive to control, too — the menu bar at the bottom of the screen allows you to hop effortlessly between Kindle's most popular features and shows a little icon of the book you're currently reading so you can dive back into it at a moment's notice (a feature that I'll no doubt use as a tactic to quickly avoid unwanted social interaction). Amazon has also made the search bar available at the top of the app no matter what section you're in, making it simpler than ever to find the literature you crave.
The coolest part of the update, however, is probably the new "Community" tab (exclusive to Kindle for iOS). Using full Goodreads integration, you will now be able to connect with your friends to talk about the books you're reading as well as do awesome things like curate a "to-read" list and rate and review books once you finish them. In order to use this feature you'll need to create a Goodreads account, but luckily you can do that in just a few minutes without ever needing to leave the Kindle app. CEO and co-founder of Goodreads Otis Chandler expressed his excitement regarding the app's new social aspect:
For as long as there have been books, people have discussed them with friends. When you finish an amazing book, you can't wait to find out if other readers feel the same way. Readers trust their friends for recommendations, with around half of them saying they discover books through word-of-mouth. With the new features on Kindle, connecting with your friends and similar readers in the Goodreads community is now built into the app.
The update will be rolling out to all Kindle app users over the next few days, so if you aren't seeing the revamped version just yet, don't fret. If you've yet to use the Kindle app but think it sounds pretty great, you can get it here:
- Amazon Kindle - Free - Download now
Now put on a pair of those cozy fuzzy socks, curl up with the softest blanket you've got, and start taking advantage of reading weather.
By the way, our pals at Thrifter have unearthed a huge sale on Kindle Unlimited subscriptions and Kindle bundles … get to reading!
Amazon wants you to read more with a huge sale on Kindle Unlimited and Kindle bundles
Thoughts? Questions?
What do you think of the redesigned Kindle app? Give us a shout in the comments!
