The Rise of Audiobooks in Vietnam: A Partnership for Knowledge and Growth
The rapid advancement of technology and a shift in reading habits have presented a promising opportunity for the growth of audiobooks in Vietnam in recent years. As life gets busier, many readers are turning to audiobooks to save time while still being able to acquire knowledge on the go, whether during their commute, while doing chores, or even while working out.
According to the Ministry of Information and Communications’ 2023 annual report, despite economic challenges and a decline in printed book sales, the Vietnamese audiobook market still achieved impressive revenue of 80 billion VND in 2023. The number of audiobook listens in 2023 reached 40 million, a 25% increase compared to 2022.
Viettel and Alpha Books, sharing a vision to propel the Vietnamese audiobook market forward and enrich the community’s intellectual life, have joined forces in a strategic partnership to develop the MyDio audiobook app. This collaboration leverages AI technology to expand the audiobook market and promote reading culture in the digital realm.
Mr. Nguyen Trong Tinh, Deputy General Director of Viettel Telecom, shares his thoughts at the signing ceremony.
By harnessing AI, the time required to record an audiobook on MyDio has been reduced from tens of hours to just 15 minutes, a 40-fold increase in efficiency, while also slashing costs by 98%. Viettel has also developed natural-sounding AI voices, tailored to different book genres, creating an immersive and captivating listening experience. Alpha Books, on the other hand, brings to the table their vast repository of content, offering thousands of books spanning various genres, including business, education, personal development, and corporate management.
At the signing ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Trong Tinh, Deputy General Director of Viettel Telecom, affirmed, “We are committed to investing in technology, people, and systems to deliver the perfect audiobook experience. In the future, Viettel will provide AI tools to support publishers and partners in producing audiobooks and audio content quickly and cost-effectively.”
As a leading telecommunications and information technology enterprise, Viettel pledges to continuously innovate and develop new technologies for the MyDio platform, ensuring stable operations that meet the evolving needs of listeners. MyDio users can look forward to a host of modern features, such as customizable listening speeds, a handy sleep timer, and a special driving mode.
MyDio boasts an extensive collection of over 10,000 copyrighted audiobooks spanning diverse genres, including self-help, thrillers, news, and music.
One standout feature of the app is its uninterrupted listening experience, free from disruptive advertisements. The “Favorites” function allows users to easily keep track of and receive notifications about new content. Optimized search capabilities enable users to find their desired content with just a few simple keywords. MyDio offers unlimited audiobook listening across mobile devices, computers, and tablets.
In 2024, MyDio’s content recommendation system and artificial intelligence capabilities garnered recognition with a prestigious IT World Awards bronze medal. By integrating a Customer-Centric Artificial Intelligence System and a Recommendation & AI System, MyDio provides personalized content suggestions tailored to users’ interests, ensuring they never miss out on their favorite books or audio content within the app’s vast library. The diverse range of genres, including self-help, thrillers, news, and music, along with programs syndicated from VOV, cater to listeners of all ages.
The MyDio audiobook app aims to become the trusted knowledge companion for 8-10 million users by 2030.
Additionally, leveraging Viettel’s vast mobile subscriber base and robust technology platform, MyDio has reached over 1 million users nationwide in less than a year. Through its partnership with Alpha Books, a renowned publisher with a rich catalog of beloved titles, MyDio aspires to become the trusted knowledge companion for 8-10 million users by 2030. This collaboration not only expands the Vietnamese audiobook market but also satisfies the growing demand for knowledge acquisition through audiobooks.
By marrying technology and knowledge, MyDio is poised to become Vietnam’s leading audiobook platform, delivering value to users while contributing to the enhancement of the quality of life and intellectual growth of the Vietnamese populace. Viettel will continue to invest in AI technology and user experience personalization solutions, while Alpha Books will provide high-quality books, further propagating the culture of reading within the community.
