If you’re an Audible subscriber, we have fantastic news: Audible.com has finally launched a dedicated app for the iPhone and iPod touch.  Cleverly named Audible for iPhone, the free app adds capabilities that Android and BlackBerry users have had for some time and frees users from relying on iTunes to sync their Audible content. 

Once installed, the app gives Audible users access to their entire library.  You can view your audiobooks in order of purchase date, in alphabetical order or by the author’s last name.  You can also search your library by title, author or narrator.  Once you’ve found the title you want, you can download it directly to your iPhone – though this option is available over Wi-Fi only.

As new audiobooks download, they are instantly available for playback beginning with the first chapter.  As subsequent chapters download, they are added to the list of completed chapters and are also available.  While the app can detect Audible books already transferred to your iPod player via iTunes, new titles downloaded with the Audible app are not added to the iPod app’s Audiobooks section. 

In addition to the standard controls, there is also a bookmark feature (so you can go back to a particular point in a book) with a note option, a sleep timer, a 30 second rewind button, a five-star rating system and the ability to post what you’re reading to Facebook or Twitter (though, the posts have no clickable links).

An iPad versio of the app is not available, though the software will run in the centered iPhone window.  Audible for iPhone is iOS 4 ready, however, and can download files in the background and continue playback when you leave the app.

If you’re an Audible member, you can download Audible for iPhone today.  If you’re not an Audible member and you love books, sign up for a free trial today and see why so many people are in love with this service.

Audible for iPhone User Guide [PDF]