iPhone Audiobook or mp3 player recommendations for playing spoken audio files

[ozaz]

I have some DRM-free spoken word audio files I'd like to play on my iPhone.
The files are currently mp3 but could be converted to something else.

Essential features
- Ability to access or transfer files via Dropbox
- Apple CarPlay support
- Variable speed playback (controllable via CarPlay)

Does anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks

 

[pacorob]

I've created a CarPlay list a while back which includes also quite a few apps that can download files from cloud storage such as Dropbox. Not sure about variable speed playback but do check out these options:

- CloudBeats: music player by Roman Burda
- Doppler MP3 & FLAC Player by Brushed Type Ltd
- Cloud Music - Stream & Offline by Beard Bits S.L.
- Flacbox: FLAC Player Equalizer by Artem Meleshko
- Evermusic (Pro): offline music by Artem Meleshko

 

[ozaz]

I've created a CarPlay list a while back which includes also quite a few apps that can download files from cloud storage such as Dropbox. Not sure about variable speed playback but do check out these options:

- CloudBeats: music player by Roman Burda
- Doppler MP3 & FLAC Player by Brushed Type Ltd
- Cloud Music - Stream & Offline by Beard Bits S.L.
- Flacbox: FLAC Player Equalizer by Artem Meleshko
- Evermusic (Pro): offline music by Artem Meleshko

Thanks. I'll take a look at these.

 

[Kaikidan]

Don't know if it has all the needed functions but I use iCatcher for audiobooks and podcasts, was the best of the bunch I tried and I managed to import audiobooks from the files app (on iCloud, perharps Dropbox could work if it appears as a drive on the online sources)

 

[pacorob]

Don't know if it has all the needed functions but I use iCatcher for audiobooks and podcasts, was the best of the bunch I tried and I managed to import audiobooks from the files app (on iCloud, perharps Dropbox could work if it appears as a drive on the online sources)

I also use that app as my go to Podcast app didn't knew it offered that feature hope this works for TS since it also has CarPlay support. UI wise is is not so nice but feature wise great and actively maintained.

 

[ukbootlegs]

try pocketcasts

Use Pocket Casts for free. A powerful, easy-to-use, feature packed podcasting app

Free podcast app. Manage a world of content with ease. Listen on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Android, Sonos, Alexa, CarPlay and Android Auto.

www.pocketcasts.com

doesn’t support Dropbox I think. But if you lay the tiny fee for the app, you get 10gb of their cloud!

 

[ozaz]

@pacorob @Kaikidan @ukbootlegs thanks for the suggestions. Have now taken a look at all of them. I also found BookPlayer (Gianni Carlo) and MP3 Audiobook Player (Oleg Braileen) as potential options. I actually already use Pocket Casts for my podcast subscriptions, but hadn't realised you can import your own audio files.

Here's what I found

The following does not have variable speed playback:
- Doppler MP3 & FLAC Player

The following apps do have variable speed playback but there is no control for this within the CarPlay interface:
- BookPlayer
- MP3 Audiobook Player
- CloudBeats
- Cloud Music

The following has variable speed playback, including control within the CarPlay interface:
- Flacbox
- Evermusic
- Pocket Casts

Flacbox & Evermusic lack jump back/forward buttons (i.e. -15s/+15s), which Pocket Casts has. Pocket Casts also has more steps/increments within its CarPlay variable speed playback controls than Flacbox & Evermusic. So I'll be going with Pocket Casts!

I didn't try iCatcher as it doesn't have a trial version, and Pocket Casts seems to have me covered.

 

[ukbootlegs]

@pacorob @Kaikidan @ukbootlegs thanks for the suggestions. Have now taken a look at all of them. I also found BookPlayer (Gianni Carlo) and MP3 Audiobook Player (Oleg Braileen) as potential options. I actually already use Pocket Casts for my podcast subscriptions, but hadn't realised you can import your own audio files.

Here's what I found

The following does not have variable speed playback:
- Doppler MP3 & FLAC Player

The following apps do have variable speed playback but there is no control for this within the CarPlay interface:
- BookPlayer
- MP3 Audiobook Player
- CloudBeats
- Cloud Music

The following has variable speed playback, including control within the CarPlay interface:
- Flacbox
- Evermusic
- Pocket Casts

Flacbox & Evermusic lack jump back/forward buttons (i.e. -15s/+15s), which Pocket Casts has. Pocket Casts also has more steps/increments within its CarPlay variable speed playback controls than Flacbox & Evermusic. So I'll be going with Pocket Casts!

I didn't try iCatcher as it doesn't have a trial version, and Pocket Casts seems to have me covered.

Glad you tried pocketcasts mate. I think it’s a great app. And I make use of the files section extensively. I download “bbc sounds” exclusive podcasts using a separate tool. And put them in my cloud so I can listen back at a faster speed