Audible Desktop and Mobile Comparisons
The website I plan to make comparisons between its pc and mobile counterpart is Audible. I’ve been using Audible under the premium plan since the final months of Summer of 2020, and I’ve been quite pleased with the experience I’ve had since then. Truth be told, I started off using the app version on my phone, so I was a little caught off guard as to how my interactions with the desktop and mobile, website UI would play out. Starting with the mobile version, I am met with a promo page for the premium plan with a still background of book covers.
Once I’m signed in, I’m hit with a scrolling banner of featured content; then with the recommendations and categories listed below.
Then I have the menu button to the top left to access both my personal content and browse the rest of the content of Audible.
However, one thing instantly raised an alarm in my mind: where’s my Library? I can see what I have saved on my wish list from the app version, but to access the library filled with audio books I purchased was proving to be quite tedious.
Finally, I was able to find a link to my library after accessing my credit report. Except, the link sent me straight to the app version of the website; which I repeated the process several times just to be sure that was what happened.
Confused, I found a page in Audible listing the ways to listen to purchased books. Turns out the mobile website of Audible isn’t capable of playing audiobooks on its own and requires the use of the app version.
I did another test to see what would happen if I bought an audiobook via the mobile version of Audible. I bought the next book of the Witcher series, Sword of Destiny, I had planned to read/ listen to in publication order; I have about an hour left in the first one, The Last Wish, fyi.
After my purchase, the site gives me the option to go straight to the app to finish downloading it and finally listen to it rather than start the book right on the website itself; pretty much confirming the mobile version of the website’s inability to play audiobooks.
Now onto the desktop version of Audible. Right off the start, I am met with a familiar screen promoting the membership deals and login except this time the background is dynamically animated with shifting book covers. Once signed in, the animated background sticks around along with the taskbar taking its place on the top, but no recommendations or categories are around like with the mobile version.
The content is similar to that of the mobile version’s menu, such as the browse drop-down menu leading to the various genres of books and recommendations to sift through. However, there is one crucial aspect I have to point out. There’s a library link! It leads straight to the books I’ve purchased, even the one I purchased via mobile.
Not only that, but I can listen to the books right on the fly with a simple click of “Listen Now”.
The app version is still my preferred setting to access my audiobooks, but I had an interesting experience testing out the actual desktop and mobile websites of Audible. Oh boy did I uncover some huge differences between the two. The mobile version sends me straight to the recommendations and genre listings after signing in while the desktop version lingers on its banner promoting its membership deals. However, the biggest difference between the two would have to be accessing my own library of purchased books and listening to them. The mobile version made it feel like a goose chase trying to find a solid link to my library while the desktop had it ready to access on the top left side of the taskbar. Even after I managed to find a link to my library on the mobile version via checking up on my purchase history, it sent me straight to the app version where I can actually interact with my library. I can’t really contemplate why the mobile version pretty much hides my library away; even if I can’t do anything as simple as listen to them it be nice to at least view what I have in stock. It’s practically restricted to only being able to browse and purchase content on Audible to be used on different UI, like my desktop and the app, and keep track of my personal data on my account. Whelp, I don’t really have much else to compare between the desktop UI and the mobile UI of Audible, cuz it feels like accessing my library is the biggest difference between the two. Plus, I have a hankering to continue my progression through the Witcher series again after scanning over my wish list again.
