Readwise

Readwise has launched Readwise Books, a new app aimed at book lovers that combines an e-book store, reading tracker, detailed reading statistics and AI features. The product is a direct attempt to compete with Amazon's Kindle and Goodreads ecosystem, offering readers an alternative for buying, tracking and analysing their reading habits. Tech watchers are discussing whether an independent app can take on Amazon's dominance in digital reading.

Readwise, the reading-notes startup, has released a new app aimed at book lovers, positioning itself against Amazon's Kindle and Goodreads. The app lets readers manage and revisit highlights from their books, offering a feature set Goodreads has long lacked. TechCrunch reports the move as a direct challenge to Amazon's grip on the digital reading community, and early coverage frames it as a welcome independent alternative for serious readers.

A reader trying the Readwise Books app is asking whether people typically read only one word at a time, after noticing the app tracks reading speed in words per minute. They acknowledge the question sounds competitive but insist reading is not a competitive sport, expressing curiosity about how others actually process text while using reading-tracking tools.

Readwise, the company known for tools that store and organise Kindle highlights for power readers, is expanding into the ebook market and positioning itself as a direct competitor to Amazon's Kindle and Rakuten Kobo. The move signals a shift from building reading-adjacent software to offering its own reading platform, and commentators are watching whether a small independent player can take on the dominant ebook ecosystems.