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Level 1

26 points

iOS 5 Music.app on iPad doesn't support audiobook chapters

The "new" Music.app on iOS 5 on iPad does not support viewing of Audiobook (.m4b / .aa) chapters and their titles. Nor does it provide for direct selection of chapters. This is a loss of functionality compared with the iPod.app on iOD 4.3 on iPad. The prior app provided a means of viewing the chapters and their titles and the direct selection of a desired chapter.

The current Music.app does provide for the user to tap the fast forward / backward buttons to skip to chapter marks but there is no display of the chapter title for a selection so there;s no useful way to know where one is in the Audiobook. Further, Audiobooks frequently contain 10s of chapters in a segment (usually limited to around 100 MB / segment (track if you prefer) by Audible).

The iPhone (and I presume iPod Touch) version of the Music.app retains the chapter viewing and selection functionality from previous iOS 4.3. Only the iPad version of the app has lost the functionality.

Without viewing of chapters and their titles and direct selection of chapters, Audiobooks in the Music.app are basically unusable on the iPad.

I filed a bug report on this as a regression - since it is functionality that was present (and still is on the iPhone) and is now lost.

iPad 2, iOS 5.0 (9A334)

Posted on Oct 12, 2011 9:47 PM

187 replies

EthanJM

Level 1

0 points

Oct 16, 2011 7:57 AM in response to xristy

Thanks for the info I'll check it out. I still think this is a disappointing step backwards along with the rest of the audio book issues. It's the only issue I've had with ios 5 aside from a few syncing issues.

Oct 16, 2011 8:21 AM in response to xristy

I used to listen to audiobooks every day through my iPad but now it's almost useless. Feel like jail breaking to get the old music app back as this entire music app feels like an app from the 90's

Rikki88

Level 1

2 points

Oct 16, 2011 11:19 AM in response to EthanJM

I too had this problem. I deselected ALL my audiobooks from my iPad controll window (when connected to my computer) clicked Sync to make sure they were purged from memory THEN re-selected them again and clicked Sync. This fixed it. Now everything works well – of course the new interface is still there so some functions are lost per this discussion string but at least you can listen to your audiobooks.

If this does not work I suggest wiping the iPad and reinstalling as though it were new. I know that sounds like a drag but it would probably clear whatever is causing the problem. This is one of the opens offered when you download and install iOS 5.

Oct 16, 2011 4:53 PM in response to Rikki88

I always download my audio books from my local library. Now with the new ios5 system it looks and act like it's tranfering the book over but then there is an error message. Item did not sync please check Itunes. Where in Itunes am I to check. I have done just about everything except scream. Please help

aPalm

Level 1

4 points

Oct 17, 2011 1:32 PM in response to xristy

I can only agree with this. Audiobooks are now completely useless on iPad2, and as such, half of the reason i even have the device 😟

Please fix quickly apple!

xristy Author

Level 1

26 points

Oct 17, 2011 5:48 PM in response to dawnnfrommedia

What app are you using to download audiobooks from your local public library? It sounds like a real annoyance but is it related to the Music app?

xristy Author

Level 1

26 points

Oct 17, 2011 7:19 PM in response to xristy

There's now at least one article in the trade press talking about issues with the Music app on iPad: iOS 5 features: Changes in Music app for iPad | TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog

Oct 18, 2011 12:21 AM in response to xristy

I tried to delete, overwrite, convert - does not help.
Searching for other programs to replace it. Kindle does not read audio books 😟
Found the program "SpeedUp Lite" http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/speedup-player-lite/id386748371?mt=8
It is free, can change the speed, but does not understand chapters :(

Prompt other programs, please.

Oct 18, 2011 9:07 AM in response to Goodsprite

My podcasts are all playing at 1/2 speed, and with the new Music interface, there is no way to change this. I can't believe how crappy this software is. I am a huge podcast listener, but listening with the echo-y half speed thing is unbearable. Does anyone else have this problem?

I want to scream.

Rikki88

Level 1

2 points

Oct 18, 2011 10:22 AM in response to xristy

My audiobooks will now play so far no problem (after turning off sync and then resyncing) HOWEVER now every other function of this Music App is non functioning — the App has also started to freeze up and twice completely crashed my iPad, forcing a restart.

I had deep suspicions at the iPhone 4S product launch about iOS 5 because demonstrators kept repeating "remember this is still a beta" — I thought they were referring to Siri but apparently not… this Music App was not even ready for a beta release, certainly not to the public at large — it is shockingly terrible and unuseable (so much so it's hard to believe Apple designed this App). Given that iTunes is the flag ship application that links and integrates to all iOS devices and is often a key selling point for new purchases of iDevices, it's almost like internal sabotage or Apple has finally reached that point where they are so big they're getting sloppy — a day I did not think would ever come to Apple.

btetampa

Level 1

4 points

Oct 18, 2011 7:37 PM in response to xristy

I'm the developer of Bookmark. Seeing the huge outcry regarding audiobooks on the iPad in iOS 5, I'm going to advance my plans for adding chapter support of non-DRM tracks as well as a native iPad version. The upcoming version 1.5 will not have these changes but I'll post plans on the blog after 1.5's release.

Some of you have correctly surmised that chapters aren't made available through the same mechanism that other metatdata are. However, for non-DRM content there are other Apple-approved ways of reading them.

Oct 18, 2011 8:53 PM in response to xristy

What a big disappoint! How come I still have this functionality with my iPhone and lose it with my iPad? Audiobook are extremely important part of my use of my iPad and Apple screwed up. It even seems like It's stuck on half speed. I loved the double speed switch on the old iTune program. Does anyone know if I can revert back to the previous OS?