Amazon Acquires Audible

On the heels of news that Amazon is struggling to keep up with demand for the Kindle (I ordered mine three weeks ago, and still no word on ship date), comes word that they’re acquiring Audible.

Along with the Kindle, this move makes sense for the online retailer as a bet that demand will continue to grow for books in non-print formats. I’m interested to see if Amazon creates a self-publishing audiobook platform similar to what they’ve created for the Kindle. That kind of blurring of the lines between retailer, distributor, and publisher is something that makes many in publishing more than a little nervous.

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