Amazon has announced that it will officially shut down its e-book app Comixology on December 4. According to the company, people who want to continue reading its e-book should switch to the Kindle platform. This move is part of Amazon’s strategy to merge the Comixology and Kindle apps on iOS. This will allow users to access all their digital comics and e-books in one place. Comixology is an e-book app mainly used for reading American comics. Amazon closed the web version of Comixology in early 2022.
Today, Amazon began to notify Comixology users, saying that it will shut down the app on December 4. Amazon claims that after December 4, all comics and graphic novels that users purchase or borrow on Comixology will be available exclusively in the Kindle app.
Users do not have to worry about their reading progress. The company said that it will synchronize reading progress and other content in the Kindle app. However, users will still have to re-download the relevant books in the Kindle app or device. Microsoft also said users can enable the “view comics only” filter. This way, “former Comixology users who have no interest in other features of the Kindle platform” can get an experience similar to previous Comixology.
What is Comixology?
Comixology is a digital comics platform that was founded in 2007 and acquired by Amazon in 2014. It offers a vast library of comics from major publishers such as Marvel, DC, and Image. It also has comics from lesser-known independent creators. Comixology has a user-friendly interface and guided view technology. This makes it easy for readers to navigate and enjoy comics on their mobile devices. Comixology had the option to sign up for a 30-day free trial of Comixology Unlimited.
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Users can buy individual issues or subscribe to Comixology Unlimited. This is a subscription service that allows unlimited reading of a selection of titles for a monthly fee. After the transition to Amazon, users faced a couple of issues like missing comics. However, Amazon quickly sorted out these issues. On the Kindle app, some users claim that they can not find their purchases. Amazon said that the migration to Kindle is still in its early stages and it will sort out these issues. Nonetheless, for comic enthusiasts, Comixology remains a valuable resource for accessing digital comics and graphic novels.
Why is Amazon shutting down Comixology?
Amazon’s decision to shut down Comixology is part of its broader strategy to streamline its digital content offerings and consolidate them under the Kindle platform. By merging Comixology and Kindle, Amazon aims to provide users with a more seamless and integrated reading experience. This move is also expected to help Amazon compete more effectively with other digital comics platforms such as Marvel Unlimited and DC Universe Infinite.
What does this mean for Comixology users?
Comixology users will need to switch to the Kindle platform to continue reading their digital comics after December 4. The transition process is expected to be straightforward. Also, users will be able to access their Comixology purchases on the Kindle app. However, some users may be disappointed by the loss of Comixology’s unique features, such as its guided view technology and curated collections.
Conclusion
Amazon’s decision to shut down the e-book app and merge it with the Kindle platform is a significant development in the digital comics industry. While the move is expected to benefit Amazon by streamlining its digital content offerings, it remains to be seen how users will respond to the loss of Comixology’s unique features. Nonetheless, the consolidation of digital comics and e-books under the Kindle platform is likely to make it easier for users to access and enjoy their favourite content.
