Playaway Audiobooks

Each Playaway device is a small, single-title player that arrives with an audiobook already installed, eliminating the need for users to download files, manage accounts, or connect to a network. The devices are powered by a standard AAA battery and include a 3.5mm headphone jack, allowing playback through any compatible headphones or external speakers.

Controls on the unit support functions such as play, pause, volume adjustment, chapter navigation, and variable playback speed. Catalogue titles cover fiction and non-fiction across age ranges, including children's literature, young adult titles, classic literature, and adult fiction, with content sourced from major audiobook publishers.

In educational settings, Playaway devices are typically catalogued and circulated through school and public library systems in the same manner as physical books, using barcode and accession processes compatible with standard library management software. The format is used to support reluctant readers, learners with visual impairments or print disabilities, and students requiring audio access to set texts.

Because the devices operate independently of internet connectivity and personal devices, they are also used in environments where one-to-one device access is limited or where digital lending platforms are not practical. Playaway is produced by Findaway, a subsidiary of Spotify, and is distributed through library suppliers and educational resource vendors.