Audible’s Read and Listen feature is a handy and accessible new audiobook tool on paper, but it comes with a catch that’s quite back-handed for book lovers

• Audible has launched a new reading tool that gives users the option to use text synchronization to follow audiobooks
• It’s rolling out in the US now, and will be available in the UK, Australia, and Germany in the coming months
• Despite its accessibility focus, users must own both the audiobook and eBook versions of a title in order to use the feature

Amid the growing popularity of e-reading, Audible’s position as one of the best audiobook providers hasn’t budged, and now it’s redefining how you immerse yourself in your favorite audiobooks.

Rolling out to US customers today (February 18), and to those the UK, Australia, and Germany in the coming months, Audible’s new ‘Read and Listen’ tool is a new way for you to follow along with audiobooks by combining reading and listening in the Audible app. Previously, the use of this feature was restricted to the Kindle app as part of the Whispersync for Voice tool.

Using text synchronization, Read and Listen gives you the option to read along as you listen to an audiobook, introducing another way to engage with and enjoy your favorite books — but it’s much more than that according to Audible’s Chief Product Officer, Andy Tsao.

“Audiobooks count as reading,” says Tsao in a press release announcing the feature. “But now at Audible, you can read with your eyes too. Read & Listen gives book lovers the best of both worlds. Whether you’re learning a new language, studying for school, or lost in a story’s world, you no longer have to choose one format over the other”.