🎧 Help test the new Vox9 Audiobooks app! (Android)

The Vox9 mobile app is in beta, and I need a small group of testers to help me get it polished and approved for public launch  on Google Play. If you enjoy our narrated fiction, this is your chance to get in early, and your feedback genuinely shapes what ships. 🙏

The test is open to everyone but please read below and decide if you are able to help me as I've spelled out. If you can't, then just wait for the app to be on general release. This is for people who can be active on the app and provide feedback. I'm looking for between 20-30 people to help test and Ideally a mixture of locations across the world. Once I have enough, I'll no longer approved new testers, but will let you know in another post here on Patreon.

Thanks you to everyone who signs up!

What is Vox9?

Vox9 is a streaming app for AI/Human‑narrated independent fiction: sci‑fi, fantasy, HFY, horror, comedy and more. Think of it like a podcast/audiobook player, but for serialised original stories from independent authors. Listen for free, follow the authors you love, and support them directly.

What you can do in the app

- Browse by genre: Sci‑Fi, HFY, Fantasy, Horror, Comedy, Romance, Crime, Creepypasta, Sci‑Fi News, plus a 🎙️ Human Narrated section.
- Discover: featured story, trending, free‑to‑listen, "Extended listens" (2hr+ deep dives), and the latest episodes.
- Continue listening: your progress syncs, so you pick up right where you left off on any device.
- Follow authors and get their work in your library
- Support creators: subscribe or tip an author right from the player (subscribing also removes ads for you on the platform).
- Download for offline: save episodes and listen with no signal
- Background & lock‑screen playback: control it without unlocking your phone
- Sleep timer: 5/15/30/45/60 min or "end of episode"
- Free listening is supported by occasional short audio ads (just like the website)

📲 How to become a tester (2 steps, ~2 minutes)

Step 1: Join this group
You're (almost) here! Join with the same Google account that's on your phone's Play Store:
👉 https://groups.google.com/g/vox9-testers — tap "Ask to join". I'll approve you (usually quickly).

Step 2: Install the app
Once I've approved you (please allow up to an hour for Google to register you), open this on your Android phone:
👉 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.vox9.app
Install it from Google Play and sign in with that same Google account.

⚠️ Important: the app will only appear for you if you join the group and install with the same Google account that's signed into your phone. If it says "item not available," wait a little and refresh.

🍎 iPhone/iPad? An Apple App Store version is coming soon -Android first while we finish testing.

🐛 How to give feedback

Please post in the google group so everyone benefits and I can track it. You should be able to start a new conversation providing helpful details like these:
  - What happened vs what you expected
  - Screenshots (or a screen recording) - super helpful
  - Any error messages (copy the exact text)
  - Steps to reproduce it
  - Your phone model + Android version (Settings → About phone)

Bugs, confusing bits, ideas, "wouldn't it be cool if…" - all welcome.

🙏 One ask

Please keep the app installed for ~2 weeks and have a listen now and then. Google requires the test to run with enough active testers before I can launch publicly, so your staying in really does get us over the line.

Thank you so much for helping bring Vox9 to life. Happy listening! 🚀