The Kindle App for Android and iPhone: As Good as a Real Kindle?

Forget carrying books around in your bag. Don’t worry about ereaders. You don’t need a Kindle when you have a smartphone in your pocket. Because the Kindle app works extremely well.

With that in mind, here’s how to read books with the Kindle app for Android and iOS.

How Can You Use Kindle on Your Phone?

The Kindle ebook reading service has been around since 2007. Initially launched for dedicated ebook readers, access to the platform was then opened to PCs and smartphones. While Amazon launches a new Kindle ereader every year, you can also read Kindle books on other devices.

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Do you want to keep your favorite books and comics in your pocket for easy reading? The Kindle app makes it easy, and using Kindle on any iPhone or Android is simple…

Where Can You Get the Kindle App for Your Phone?

You’ll find the Kindle app for Android in the Play Store and Kindle for iOS in the App Store.

Download: Kindle for Android | iOS

Before opening the Kindle app, ensure you have an Amazon account set up. Note that if you have already signed into an Amazon service on your phone, the credentials should be accessible to Kindle.

Finding Books for the Kindle App for Android and iOS

With the Kindle app loaded up on your phone, you should be able to access your existing library of titles.

Simply launch the app and sign in when prompted. To purchase a book, either open the Store or check the list of recommendations. You’ll typically see things based on your previous physical book purchases if you’re new to Kindle.

Before purchasing a book, you can read the first chapter as a free sample to see if you’re going to like it. To do this, open the Store, browse for a book, then tap Download Sample to see if it suits you.

These screenshots from the iPhone version of the Kindle app show slightly different screens, demonstrating the book suggestion and library screens.

Free content is also available through the Kindle store. Mostly this consists of public domain works, such as classics released many years ago, and now out of copyright. You might also sign up to BookBub, a daily newsletter recommending free ebooks and heavy discounts currently listed on the Kindle store.

Read Magazines, Newspapers, and Comics on Your Phone

The Kindle app for Android and iOS is not just for books. You can also use it to read magazines and newspapers.

This makes it the go-to app for reading material on your smartphone.

In the Kindle Store you will find a Search feature. Use this to search for magazines and newspapers. Note that in most cases you will need to purchase a subscription to read them on Kindle.

You can also read comics on the Kindle app. Tap Store then scroll to the bottom of the list of categories. Tap More Categories > Comics and Graphic Novels. Here you will find a vast library of thousands of comics, graphic novels, and books about the industry.

Manga titles, plus books from DC, Marvel, and many other big publishers are available. You can either own comics or “borrow” them with Kindle Unlimited or Prime Reading.

Kindle Benefits for Amazon Prime Subscribers

Using a Kindle device or reading app as an Amazon Prime subscriber gives you a supercharged ereading experience. Note that different Amazon Prime subscriptions are available.

In 2020, Amazon launched Prime Reading, which is similar to Kindle Unlimited (see below). Both services let you “borrow” books; that is, download and have access to titles for a short time.

Titles on the Prime Reading list includes top-rated books which you can read for free. Some of these can be found in Amazon’s Top 20 list. To read a book with Prime Reading, browse to the Prime Reading section of the Kindle app (under Home).

Tap the book, then Read for $0.00 with Prime Reading. You’ll receive notification that the book will appear in your library once downloaded.

Get Books With Kindle Unlimited

If you don’t have an Amazon Prime subscription, don’t worry. Amazon also offers the Kindle Unlimited service.

Offering a huge range of books and magazines for $9.99/month, Kindle Unlimited lets you read pretty much anything you want. The range of titles available with Kindle Unlimited makes this good value for money. Better still, where available, Audible versions of your chosen books can be downloaded.

Imagine having an entire library of books in your pocket! Once added to your Kindle account, you’ll find Kindle Unlimited titles on your phone ready to read.

Useful Features to Enhance Reading in the Kindle App

The Kindle app for Android and iPhone isn’t all about buying and downloading books. Once you have actually started reading, the app offers a selection of features to improve the experience.

The Android Kindle app allows you to set the screen brightness, preferred screen orientation (landscape or portrait), font size, and background color. Line spacing, alignment, and page color can also be set.

With these options you can set your reading environment to make sure it’s just right for you. Just tap the center of the screen on your current book to display these options.

With the Kindle app, it’s possible to use the built-in dictionary to look up words as you’re reading. You can also use Google or Wikipedia to research a topic further. All you need to do is tap and hold a word to see the options available to you. Other options include making notes or even reporting an error.

Further settings let you toggle animated page turns, give you the option to turn pages with your phone’s volume buttons, and more.

If you have a Kindle or use the Kindle app for another device, you can sync reading across devices. This means you can read on your phone while commuting, then continue from the same page when you later switch to your Kindle device.

The Kindle app will sync bookmarks, furthest point read, highlights, and notes.

Forget the Kindle and Use the App Instead

Most smartphones have screens smaller than Kindle eReaders. So, while a Kindle will fit in your bag with ease, it will not necessarily fit in your pocket. Unlike your phone.

The argument for reading books with the Kindle app on Android or iPhone is clearly strong. Admittedly, the backlight might not be as kind on the eyes as the adjustable light of a dedicated Kindle ereader. However, despite this, reading an ebook on your phone is a great alternative to using a Kindle.

If you do own a Kindle, here’s how to use IFTTT to supercharge your Kindle.

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