Readwise is taking on Kindle and Kobo for ebook supremacy
For the last several years, Readwise has been building tools for power readers. There's the eponymous product, Readwise, which stores and categorizes your Kindle highlights to help you remember what you've read. There's Readwise Reader, an app for reading newsletters, PDFs, and web articles you've saved for later. And now there's Readwise Books, a full-fledged […]
Readwise is challenging Kindle's dominance in the ebook market. The company, founded by Tristan Homsi and Daniel Doyon, has been developing tools for avid readers, including Readwise, Readwise Reader, and now Readwise Books, a platform for purchasing, reading, and discussing books. Readwise Books is currently in beta, available by invitation or to existing Readwise subscribers.
The app aims to track reading habits, such as duration, volume, and speed, and allows users to share this information with friends. Tristan Homsi and Daniel Doyon, the cofounders, envision Readwise Books as "Strava for reading," tracking how much users read and how fast. While the original goal was not to challenge Kindle, the founders believe Kindle could be improved.
No one desires a better Kindle, but a better Goodreads is what they aspire to achieve. Readwise Books syncs with Kindle accounts, allowing users to track books they've purchased from Amazon. The platform has secured deals with all five major US publishers, granting it a competitive library of books. This progress, though delayed, may be timely as digital reading grows, particularly among younger users.
Readwise Books offers a more visually appealing interface and robust customization options compared to Kindle or Kobo. Early users find the app compelling and enjoyable, despite a few bugs and integration issues with Kindle. The founders hope that Readwise can entice existing users to switch, enhancing the seamless sharing of notes and progress.
Additionally, they anticipate a resurgence in deep reading due to AI's potential impact on cognition. As millions of Kindle users hold onto their devices, the transition to Readwise Books will be challenging, but the founders remain optimistic that a more engaging and social reading experience will draw people in.
Written by urgent.news from The Verge's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
