Audible no longer working

[zho40]

Audible works 100% of the time for me if I use my Bluetooth headset since Cyan on my 1520, but if I used wired headset it almost never plays.

 

[EpidemikE1]

Have any of you found a substitute for audible?

As Amazon own audible I can't see the app being fixed any time soon.!

Why wouldnt Amazon work on their app? I mean just like the Kindle app, Amazon is gearing Audible as a cross platform app. The more customers they reach, the better it is for their buisness. Also theres been no rumors of them going exclusive to their Fire devices, that would be a big shot in their own foot.

Im with Zho on this. I find that the bluetooth playback is much more consistent. One thing I've done to fix the stopped playing, is go to button free and try to play. One other thing they need to fix is the donwloading of files. You have to have the app open or it will not download anything.

 

[Silence#WP]

Amazon hasn't been very good about updating their Windows Phone apps. Almost every, if not every, iOS or Android Amazon app functions better than and/or has more features than the Windows Phone counterpart.

 

[Adam.Sulli]

Parrim,

You nailed it. This problem has everything to do with syncing your book location. I had a frozen book, so I listened to a portion on my pc, then went back to my WP.
I turned on Airplane mode, then tried to play the book. It worked! Then I manually when to my previous locations.

I've got a case open with audible. They told me that their are aware of the WP problem and have their developers working on it. Whether or not we believe them is another matter.

One more tip for everyone. I've noticed that sometimes playing a book and then waiting a little while will allow the book to play. I've waited for a couple of minutes before and the book started to play. It doesn't work every time, but it does sometimes.

 

[amzdanes]

I have same issues with Nokia 1520 and Cyan - audible freezes if I pause and then try to play again. And I have also logged bug report and called Audible multiple times and I get same story are you all have - the developers on are working on it - for months now! I think we should all send email to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos - I have read that he is accessible to customers and cares that we have positive experiences. I cant post his email here because I am having issues posting anything that is a link on this forum so I will put his email here phonetically - jeff at amazon dot com

 

[PabsTheGeek]

This is annoying as hell! Plays fine via Bluetooth I've noticed, but as soon as I use headphones it doesn't play.

But the old Airplane mode has worked for me....

 

[dovoto]

Force quitting the Audible app, putting the phone in airplane mode, then starting the audible app is the only way I can get it to restart playback (I do not have to delete and redownload the book usually).

Interestingly, the kindle reader app has had similar (horrible) behavior when syncing to its server (the kindle reader used to drain my battery faster than gps navigation when not in airplane mode though it appears to be slightly better).

I dont think this is an app issue at all, its an amazon/audible server sync issue that is entirely non-robust.

 

[Gerrok]

WOW.. thanks. 95% of the time on my phone is listening to audio books. I "side-graded" from the 1020 to 1520 for the screen size. I did have to reinstall audible on the 1020 after updating to cyan and it worked great after that.

The 1520 has been a nightmare. I had 4 books I'd try switching between to see if I could get any to load. Maddening trying to get through book 4 in a series.

Airplane mode to start the book works great. My guess... the 1520's processor is faster, so the sync "completes" before it adds a listener to see if it completed. Asynchronous programming is tricky.

 

[Paul Stasik]

You cannot blame the Audible App on Nokia, Microsoft/Lumia, the OS, anything. You can only blame Amazon/Audible for this neglect.

In a couple weeks it will be one full year since the Audible app has been updated.

There is no excuse for this neglect and poor customer service and isolation of a growing customer base.

Has anyone gotten anywhere with customer service yet? I leave reviews and do online chats as often as I can-- I am trying to be their "problem" at this point.

 

[10curtains]

I have just checked, audible have updated their app for ios, 9 times since November 2013. 9 updates.

Windows phone 0. As in 0.
I live in the uk and amazon have me over a barrel. They took over audible and there is now nowhere else I can get audio books.

Complaining isn't making any difference. I haven't emailed or phoned for over a month.

I am now considering getting an android phone. In fact if apple had brought out a normal size phone , I would have got an iphone.

Amazon cater to apple devices and os every month. The kindle app has an update every month.

So I am giving up on wp.

Once I can find a phone that isn't the size of a brick I am off.
I don't care if it's running android as long as the apps get fixed it will do.

 

[mernmern]

I am not having as much luck as some with the "airplane trick" on my 1520. As you and others have mentioned, Audible worked ok on the 920 and 1020, but is worthless on the 1520. I guess there is only so much research you can do before switching phones, because something always seems to pop up after the fact. I downgraded my audible app review and submitted a complaint of poor performance to Microsoft directly from the app review screen.

 

[hankwyborney]

I have the same Audible problems with my 1520, but not if I'm using Bluetooth. So I've switched to Bluetooth headphones.

 

[Paul Stasik]

I have just checked, audible have updated their app for ios, 9 times since November 2013. 9 updates.

Windows phone 0. As in 0.
I live in the uk and amazon have me over a barrel. They took over audible and there is now nowhere else I can get audio books.

Complaining isn't making any difference. I haven't emailed or phoned for over a month.

I am now considering getting an android phone. In fact if apple had brought out a normal size phone , I would have got an iphone.

Amazon cater to apple devices and os every month. The kindle app has an update every month.

So I am giving up on wp.

Once I can find a phone that isn't the size of a brick I am off.
I don't care if it's running android as long as the apps get fixed it will do.

Giving up on the OS and phone because of a third party app is a bit of an overreaction. Understandable if you just can't live without it - however it's hardly Microsoft's fault.

 

[Charlie Pelosi]

On my 925 with tmobile the app worked ok. It always played, sometimes would loose my place, but it was bearable.
On my new 1520 with at and t I am having the "stuck in pause" trouble like others in this thread. This is a reply from audible.com

"Thank you for contacting Audible. My name is Yilme and I hope you are having a great day.
I understand that you would like to know If the Audible app will be updated to fix ongoing issues.
I am sorry about the inconvenience that this has caused you but I am more than happy to assist you with this.
I do not know when there is going to be an update for the Audible for windows app.
The Audible app for Windows phone was last updated on November 26,2013 by Microsoft, only the Audible for android and iOS for iPhone/iPad is controlled by us directly.
We are aware that there is stability issues the Audible for windows and is working with Microsoft to have it resolved."

 

[Paul Stasik]

Bluetooth fixed it for my 1520

What sucks is I never wanted to pay for Bluetooth in my car, it seemed like something I never needed. But I guess now I need to get myself a Bluetooth adapter or something for listening to audible in my car.

I wonder why it works through Bluetooth yet nothing else...

 

[Charlie Pelosi]

I picked up an iHome Bluetooth speaker for $24 today. The Audible app on my 1520 seems to work OK, as long as I'm using Bluetooth. I did have it stuck in pause once, but I rebooted the phone and it worked after. So it is not 100% reliable, but I can at least listen while driving. The speaker was cheap and it has more than enough volume to listen while driving. (better than the phones speaker)
Still, this is no excuse. Either the OS needs a patch or the app needs attention. I hope they update it at some point. I think audible is a great service. The prices are a bit high.. but a great service.

 

[10curtains]

On my 925 with tmobile the app worked ok. It always played, sometimes would loose my place, but it was bearable.
On my new 1520 with at and t I am having the "stuck in pause" trouble like others in this thread. This is a reply from audible.com

"Thank you for contacting Audible. My name is Yilme and I hope you are having a great day.
I understand that you would like to know If the Audible app will be updated to fix ongoing issues.
I am sorry about the inconvenience that this has caused you but I am more than happy to assist you with this.
I do not know when there is going to be an update for the Audible for windows app.
The Audible app for Windows phone was last updated on November 26,2013 by Microsoft, only the Audible for android and iOS for iPhone/iPad is controlled by us directly.
We are aware that there is stability issues the Audible for windows and is working with Microsoft to have it resolved."

Does anyone know if that is true?
The Audible app on wp is made or maintained by Microsoft?

Or is this something the rep from Audible made up to justify a crap app?

 

[Harrie-S]

Checked in the store AUDIBLE-AUDIOBOOKS under details.
Publisher
Name: Audible.Inc

So MS did not make this app.

What can be is that Audible needs input from MS and if Audible want to change/update the app in the store that they have to get "approval" from MS. This approval is a kind of virus check or something like this.
So what the guy told you is not a lie but also not totally true.

 

[amzdanes]

I have the same issue. Has anyone found any workarounds yet? Every time I pause a book I have to redownload the book, make sure I go to beginning and then, use the chapters screen to select the last chapter I heard. If after downloading i elect to go to same place where i left off audible looks like it is playing but it is frozen.... ARGGG Help.

 

[amzdanes]

i download my books and i still have this issue!