YouTube has held talks with publishers in recent months about launching an audiobook feature, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The service could be ready as soon as next year and may be bundled inside YouTube Premium, the paid subscription tier that already includes ad-free video, background playback and YouTube Music.
The talks are still at an early stage and no deal has been confirmed, so the feature should be treated as a reported plan rather than an announced product. Even so, the move would put YouTube in direct competition with Spotify and Amazon's Audible in the fast-growing audiobook market.
What the report says about YouTube audiobooks
The Wall Street Journal report, surfaced via Techmeme, says YouTube has been negotiating with book publishers in recent months. The discussions point to an audiobook product that could be ready next year and might sit inside the existing YouTube Premium bundle rather than as a separate app.
That bundling logic matters. YouTube Premium already carries a large subscriber base, and adding audiobooks would give those users a reason to stay subscribed without spending more. For publishers, it would open a new distribution channel next to the platforms they already work with.
- Talks with publishers began in recent months, per the WSJ
- The feature could be ready next year, according to the report
- It may be bundled with YouTube Premium, the paid subscription tier
- No pricing, launch date or market list has been announced
