ElevenLabs has announced the global availability of its text-to-speech Reader app. This expansion introduces support for 32 languages, allowing users worldwide to transform written content into lifelike audio experiences.
Initially launched in June across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, the Reader app was well-received for converting text content like articles, PDF documents, and e-books—into audio.
This feature has proven particularly useful for users in situations where reading from a screen is impractical or unsafe, such as during commutes.
The latest update broadens the app’s reach by supporting various languages, including Portuguese, Spanish, French, Hindi, German, Japanese, Arabic, Korean, Italian, Tamil, and Swedish, among others.
ElevenLabs has quickly risen in prominence within the AI sector, securing unicorn status earlier this year after raising $80 million from notable investors, including Andreessen Horowitz. The company has built a reputation for its high-quality synthetic voices, which are now virtually indistinguishable from real human speech.
This technological prowess has not only attracted investment but also positioned ElevenLabs as a key player in the AI voice landscape.
The company’s technology is already being utilized in various applications. For instance, ElevenLabs provides the API for voice interactions on the Rabbit r1 and supports text-to-speech features on AI-powered platforms such as Perplexity, PocketFM, and KukuFM.
However, the Reader app represents ElevenLabs’ first direct-to-consumer product, signalling a new chapter in the company’s evolution.
One of the standout features of the Reader app is its extensive voice library, which now includes hundreds of new voices tailored to different languages. These voices, combined with the app’s customizable options, offer users a highly personalized listening experience.
Users can filter voices by gender, age, or use case and sort them by various categories, allowing for a tailored auditory experience. The recent licensing of voices from iconic actors like Judy Garland, James Dean, Burt Reynolds, and Sir Laurence Olivier adds an extra layer of prestige and allure to the app’s offerings.
The underlying technology that powers the Reader app’s latest enhancements is ElevenLabs’ Turbo v2.5 model, released last month.
According to the company, this model significantly reduces the latency of text-to-speech conversion while improving the overall quality of the output. This advancement is likely to appeal to users who prioritize seamless and natural-sounding audio.
Despite the app’s promising features, ElevenLabs faces stiff competition in the crowded text-to-speech market. The app’s closest rival, Speechify, offers additional functionalities such as document scanning, integrations with Gmail and Canvas, and the ability to clone a user’s voice to read out text.
Other competitors include Mozilla-owned Pocket and The New York Times’ Audm-based audio app, both of which allow users to listen to content on the go.
ElevenLabs remains undeterred and is committed to further enhancing its Reader app. The company has announced plans to add more features, such as offline support and the ability to share audio snippets, in future updates. These additions could help the app differentiate itself from competitors and attract a broader user base.
Currently, the Reader app is available for free download, with users receiving three months of complimentary access. However, it is worth noting that the app is presently only available in English and for iOS users in the U.S., U.K., and Canada. The company has promised that support for over 29 additional languages is on the way, along with an Android version, as part of a broader global rollout.
Initial feedback from beta testers has been overwhelmingly positive. Many users have praised the quality and consistency of the voices, particularly when dealing with longer texts. Visually impaired users have also found the app to be a valuable tool, with one user describing it as instrumental in accessing print material.
The question remains whether ElevenLabs truly needed to launch its own standalone app. Existing platforms like Pocket, Matter, and Instapaper already offer similar text-to-speech capabilities, and Apple’s “Listen to Page” feature in Safari provides native support for listening to web content.
ElevenLabs’ focus on voice quality and selection may appeal to users who seek a premium audio experience, but the app will need to offer significant advantages over existing solutions to carve out a niche in this competitive market.