True to the webpages uncovered earlier in the week, Amazon has unveiled a new e-book subscription service. Dubbed Kindle Unlimited, the service gives access to both e-books and audiobooks, though with restrictions on the latter.

Kindle Unlimited is priced at $9.99 per month with a 30-day free trial, and it allows users to read any number of the 600,000 available titles. By saying audiobooks are available, Amazon means that "thousands of Kindle books come with the free professionally narrated Audible audiobook." Kindle Unlimited subscribers also get three months of an Audible membership (normally $14.95 per month), which translates to three free audiobooks. There are no standalone audiobooks available through the service.

Kindle Unlimited books are accessible on any Kindle or device that has a Kindle app. The program is more flexible than the Kindle Owners' Lending Library, a perk of Amazon Prime that allows only Kindle-owning Prime members to read a limited selection of free e-books.

It's unclear what prevents users from abusing the service by downloading as many books as they can get their hands on and then disconnecting from Wi-Fi for a while; Amazon did not immediately respond to requests for clarification. The introduction of the program comes not long after a public dispute between Amazon and Hachette erupted over contract terms, which reportedly centers on e-book pricing.