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xristy Author

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

xristy Author

Level 1

26 points

Nov 17, 2011 6:43 PM in response to EthanJM

all very nice when you have an mp3 file per chapter for an audiobook. That's not how *.aa (Audible) and *.m4b audiobooks work. There are chapter marks in the metadata for each audiobook part file. All of these work arounds are not sufficient to deal with the issue of this thread which is that the Music app on the iPad has no support for the audiobook formats that used to be supported. In other words it has summarily dismissed a large part of the market. Either arrogance or incompetence not forward thinking and user interface elegance or whatever.

EthanJM

Level 1

0 points

Nov 17, 2011 7:51 PM in response to xristy

I am sorry for the confusion. I thought I made it clear that I was only addressing the issue of the MP3 audiobooks not playing at all. As ParsnipBuffy mentioned that they had the same problem as I, I thought it only right to let them know that I had found a way to make it work. I realize that this still does not address the issue of the regular audiobook formats and missing features. I agree that this app and the total lack of response from Apple is completely incompetent.

xristy Author

Level 1

26 points

Nov 17, 2011 8:25 PM in response to EthanJM

No problem I just wanted to clarify so that there wouldn't be confusion and also everytime one of us responds to the thread it bumps the thread back up to the top of the list so that people visiting are more likely to see it.

btetampa

Level 1

4 points

Nov 18, 2011 6:29 AM in response to EthanJM

EthanJM and ParsnipBuffy, are you using iTunes on Windows? That sounds like a problem I've heard from several users of my app. It affects MP3's but not AAC-encoded tracks. I've written a blog post that may be of use: http://www.audiobookcommunity.com/profiles/blogs/ios-5-audiobook-issues-for-wind ows-users

shartrax

Level 1

33 points

Nov 18, 2011 9:17 AM in response to xristy

to:btetampa - i read your blog and was excited to hear there might be a solution - but alas. all of my tracks are ACC encoded. Admittedly I use a macbook pro rather than a windows p/c, so perhaps your solution works for those on a windows p/c.

to: everyone - I have started using the Audible app and it's working perfectly. It even has a back-up 30 second button (and you can even shorten or lengthen the time it backs up)! so I am content, though still a little confused why Apple hasn't fixed this issue on its iPad (works just fine on my old first generation iTouch and 3GS iPhone!) Go figure.

thanks everyone!

anmorton

Level 1

10 points

Nov 18, 2011 9:29 AM in response to shartrax

Of course, Audible is working perfectly. Apple's did, too, until iOS 5. Audible's busines would suffer a MAJOR hit if they tried Apple's trick.Unfortunately, Apple has yet to feel the heat. If anyone has not yet complained to Apple, do so today. This wheel is not squeaking loudly enough yet.

<sigh>I would be willing to pay to get this functionality back.

mjr123

Level 1

8 points

Nov 18, 2011 12:26 PM in response to shartrax

Shartrax: Interesting that ios5 is on your iTouch and you are still able to play MP3 audiobooks ? On my iTouch (3rdgen) I have the symptom of MP3 audiobooks not playing if identified as audiobooks while they will play if identified as music. My stuff is all downloaded library books so I don't think I have the "access" to change them to AAC files.

Angelyne

Level 1

6 points

Nov 18, 2011 1:34 PM in response to xristy

Just to be clear the Audible app does not work ONLY with Audible audio files. It will also play mp3 files that have been defined as audiobook and synched in itunes. The app has two sections "My Library" which consist of AAC files downloaded directly from Audible, and another section called IPOD Library which shows you all your audiobook books that are in ipod, on the ipad.

xristy Author

Level 1

26 points

Nov 18, 2011 4:45 PM in response to shartrax

Audible's app is indeed an excellent solution for Audible's *.aa content when downloaded from your Audible Library in the cloud; however, there is no side-loading for those of us who have all of our *.aa files locally and don't really have the bandwidth to redownload stuff from the cloud.

Further, Audible of course doesn't work with *.m4b audiobooks that you may have created or gotten elsewhere - again owing at least in part to not being able to side-load into the app's space.

Apple has prevented anyone else from writing an app that will handle chapter marks - other than mp3 file per chapter scenarios. The interface from the shared iPod music area doesn't support chapter info so all streams from that area are monolithic audio streams.

Audible's app in fact is very similar to the Music app on iPhone / iPod Touch - which is still working on iOS 5.

xristy Author

Level 1

26 points

Nov 18, 2011 4:51 PM in response to anmorton

I agree and one way to squeak the wheel besides sending comments to iPad Feedback is to send an email to tnt@twit.tv.

Everyone should revist your excellent post https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3376431?answerId=16396989022#16396989022 and use the list of contacts to rattle more cages.

xristy Author

Level 1

26 points

Nov 18, 2011 4:56 PM in response to Angelyne

Just to further clarify - the iPod Library area of the Audible app provides access to all "audiobook" items that have been sync'ed to the iPad via iTunes; however, it does NOT permit chapter access to *.aa or *.m4b files that are in the iPod Library. The only reason that there is some chapter access to mp3 files is because these are a file per chapter. Chapters in *.aa and *.m4b are all within a single file or a few files and are handled via metadata in the file - this metadata approach is not defined in mp3.

Rikki88

Level 1

2 points

Nov 18, 2011 5:29 PM in response to xristy

Xristy;

I've used the Audible App for a while now — it is excellent. I usually listen to audiobooks via my iPhone 4S using iOS 5.1 (or my iPhone 3G repurposed now as an "iPod touch" using iOS 3.1) — both have chapter support and all the other Audible App features.

To Access your Audiobooks on Your Device:

In the Audible App go to "Categories" then select: iPod Library. If you did sync your audiobooks from iTunes to your device — then they should all be there ready to play, no need to download from Audible again or play over a wifi connection. If you are not near your computer you can download more books from your Audible Library online.

Forget the iCloud for this purpose anyway - access your Audible through your online Library if you have to - it's much faster AND it works.

NOTE: Apple recently limited Audible from using the App "Shop" button connecting you directly to the online Audible store but Audible now has a new button "Shop Audible" and I think it works in a similar way. There is a PDF at Audible which will help you understand how to use the App. Now that the Music App is broken the Audible App is the best thing going.

xristy Author

Level 1

26 points

Nov 18, 2011 6:06 PM in response to Rikki88

Rikki88:

Thank you for indicating all the various resources for using Audible and the Audible app; however, it is necessary to clarify some of your information.

I've also used the Audible app for a while now - and I agree it is excellent as far as it goes. This thread is concerned with the Music app on iPad iOS 5 and iOS 5.0.1 (if you're testing 5.1 then perhaps something significant has changed but I'm not aware of any 5.1 builds being available to developers) not the iPhone 4S and many of the issues do not appear on the iOS 5 on iPhone or iPod Touch.

The Audible app as I have also indicated indeed has chapter support for the *.aa audiobook files that are resident in the Audible app private space which is only able to be loaded via download from "My Library" from Audible.com.

Audible's app can indeed access the "Ipod Library" as I and others have mentioned, and of course it is fast and would be really a wonderful approach to the whole thing.

However, it can NOT and does NOT present chapter information on the iPad under iOS 5.0 / 5.0.1 or on any other iDevice under any other iOS. The interface that Apple provides to the iPod Library area does not include chapter information officially and the unoffical interface that was available has been deleted. Use of the unofficial interface would have precluded Audible from getting their app approved in the app store.

If you attempt to access an Audible *.aa book in the iPod Library it plays as it would if it had been downloaded BUT if you select the little chapter listing in the upper right-hand corner of the screen you will see a single "Chapter 1" and the following message is displayed at the top of the listing "Chapter marker information is unavailable for iPod library titles".

Rikki88

Level 1

2 points

Nov 18, 2011 6:54 PM in response to xristy

Hi Xristy;

Well, I guess I had not yet downloaded the Audible App Update.

Whoa! You are correct — no more Chapters. I am astounded and furious! What could possibly be the motivation (now it seems apparent) for deliberating removing features so key to the audiobook listening experience?

What for example, would it be like if book publishers decided to stop printing Page Numbers and Chapter divisions in printed books? If you forgot to use a physical Bookmark (or didn't fold the page corner) you'd have to leaf through your book for the page you last read… every time you pickup the book. Similarly now, if I forget to make a mental note of the exact hour and minute mark when I stopped listening to an audiobook… I'm in that same situation – I have to scrub back and forth trying to find where I left off or I can't easily go back and replay a chapter without loosing my current place. What A Drag!!! Unforgivable.

These changes are so completely unMac-like that I think there is something more sinister afoot. I use that word advisedly. Why are we being forced into the Cloud? I don't want to use the cloud (at least not right now — not until I can determine there is a way to protect my privacy). Plus 5 gigabytes would not even begin to accommodate my backup and storage needs… and don't need another expense. I now use MobileMe which is wonderful (so of course Apple is discontinuing it) - MM has privacy protection squared compared to iCloud and so many other features Apple is doing away with.

xristy Author

Level 1

26 points

Nov 18, 2011 7:09 PM in response to Rikki88

Welcome aboard the Outrage Express. It appears to me that the Music app on the iPad is a case of incompetent product management and Q/A. Very un-Apple-like as you said. I buy Apple products as tools not toys and pay a premium for excellence in engineering. The Music app is a core app - it can't be removed - and this version is amateurish and incompetent.

As for the cloud I agree with you. The cloud is non-operative in most of the world. I live much of the time in Asia - Nepal to be exact - and bandwidth is at a premium here. The cloud is largely a Euro-American thing - maybe Japan and a few cities of China, Singapore and so on. I don't care if Apple and other companies want to exploit the cloud but I sure don't want to end up being relegated to the dust bin of computing just because various and sundry features that used to be functional locally have been stripped to force people into the cloud.

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