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Astrolabium

Audio, paper, and e-book publishing app

CLIENT
Astrolabium Publishing, Ukraine
Industry
Audiobooks
Ebooks
Publishing
technologies
Flutter
Swift
Kotlin

Audio, Paper and e-books Mobile app  

Astrolabium is a mobile application developed for one of the leading Ukrainian publishers to unify paper books, audiobooks, and e-books into a single, accessible digital platform.
The app combines a classic online bookstore experience with a built-in e-book reader and audiobook player, allowing users to purchase, read, and listen to books directly within the app.

A core focus of the project was accessibility, with the product designed and tested specifically to meet the needs of users with visual impairments.

Features

Book catalog
Explore a rich library of audiobooks, ebooks, and paper books, all accessible from a unified catalog. Each format is optimized for its specific reading and listening experience, ensuring smooth navigation, fast loading, and consistent usability across iOS and Android devices.
Categories
Search
Home page
Marketing banners & curated content
Checkout
A web-based marketplace designed to connect businesses with skilled specialists through advanced search and filtering options. It allows users to browse profiles, explore job opportunities, and efficiently match talent with available positions.
ApplePay & GPay integration
Delivery service integration
Loyalty program
Order history and management
Accessability
All app features are fully accessible to visually impaired users via native iOS and Android accessibility frameworks. To validate this, we engaged visually impaired QA specialists to test and verify the user experience.
Interface optimized for visually impaired users
Screen reader–friendly annotations for all key UI elements
E-book reader
We built a responsive React app for specialists to showcase their expertise, manage job applications, and track payments seamlessly. The app facilitates smooth client interactions and provides secure payment processing via Stripe integration.
Read your favorite e-books in app
Adjustable font settings
Local caching, so the app would work even without the internet
Easy navigation by chapters and bookmarks
Audiobook Player
Audio player that provides intuitive controls, background playback, and seamless media streaming. Supports accessibility features, ensuring a smooth listening experience for all users across iOS and Android devices.
Background playback. Continue listening while using other apps or with the screen locked
Playback controls. Play, pause, skip, and seek with intuitive UI and lock screen controls
Accessibility support. Full compatibility with VoiceOver (iOS) and TalkBack (Android) for inclusive use
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Technical Approach

We used Flutter to deliver this crossplatform app.
Flutter was a perfect choise for this application. We were able to deliver homepage, catalog, checkout and other features for both platforms simultaniously.

Complex technical features such as file encryption, audio book player and e-book reader were developed on a native iOS and Android levels.

Flutter flexibility allowed us to reuse code between platforms whenever possible and to integrate native code modules for other, non trivial tasks. It helped us deliver both iOS and Android applications on time and within the client's budget.

More Works

F.A.Q.

How long does it take to build an audiobook and e-book app?

A first production-ready version of an audiobook and e-book app typically takes 2 to 4 months, depending on the scope, number of features, integrations, and accessibility requirements. More complex catalogs, custom readers, or advanced e-commerce logic may extend the timeline.

Can an existing book catalog or website be integrated into a mobile app?

Yes. We often work with publishers who already have a website or content catalog. Existing data, payments, and user accounts can be integrated into a mobile app to create a unified digital reading and listening experience.

How much does it cost to develop an audiobook app?

The cost depends on the app’s functionality, content volume, and level of customization. In most cases, developing an audiobook and e-book app with e-commerce and accessibility features starts from $30,000-$60,000 and scales with additional features, integrations, and ongoing development.

How do you plan the project?

We gather as much information as possible to define the project scope. After discovery stage is complete, we estimate delivery timeline, and project budget presenting the final results to the client.