Start-up company Oyster today launches the first ever subscription service for books, which offers iPhone users access to 100,000 titles for $9.95 (€7.60) per month. 

Titles include those released by big name publishers like Harper Collins and Workman, but the app also offers books published via the self-publishing service Smashwords. 

It's not yet clear if the service is available in Ireland.

The app was built in a year on a budget of $3 (€2.3) million and includes standout features like recommendations for books featuring topics in the news and a privacy mode where users can read books like 50 Shades or similarly embarrassing titles without it appearing in their friends' feeds. 

The app is currently available on an invite-only basis. An iPad version is set for release later this year. 

Images: © Oyster