Scribd Launches Cross-Platform Ebook Subscription Service

Scribd has launched a competing service to Oyster, which we detailed back on September 6, expanding on the aforementioned company's efforts by supporting Android, Kindle Fire, and the Web in addition to iOS. The ebook service, simply called Scribd, is priced at $8.99 USD per month and gets one access to all the books they want from the service's ebook library.

There's no word on how many ebooks Scribd is offering in its library through this subscription service, but the company promises that "thousands" of bestselling books and new releases are available to customers. On top of the big-name book publishers is access to the content generally available on Scribd, which is submitted by users, such as reports and self-published pieces.

The service is offering books from HarperCollins, Sourcebooks, RosettaBooks, Kensington, E-Reads, and Workman, and the option to buy one of these books individually rather than signing up for the service is also available. A quick browse through the library shows some big-name authors and titles, including works by Neil Gaiman, "Water for Elephants", Terry Pratchett, Neal Stephenson, and more.

The service is available in any country, however not all of the books in the library are available in every country. The reason for this has to do with publisher restrictions, with some choosing to limit the availability of their digital works. Scribd says that "most" of its library is available globally, however.

In addition to the select availability of certain titles in certain regions, there are some titles that can't be accessed through the service, due to restrictions from the publisher only allowing the book to be bought outright. The service helps users find books they might be interested in using personalized recommendations, among other features, and the company is offering users a free trial option.

SOURCE: GigaOm