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The iBookstore comes to iTunes
Apple has added the iBookstore to iTunes. The way it looks and works will be immediately familiar to anyone who's made an iTunes purchase. Featured books appear at the top along with a list of New and Notable releases and charts. Several pre-orders are also available, as well as a large number of titles currently discounted to US$2.99. I clicked to download a sample of Feathers by Thor Hanson and iTunes gave me the message, "Sample has been sent." I launched iBooks on my iPhone and presto! There it was. Next I grabbed the free Lonely Planet travel guide, which iTunes downloaded and added to Books; it also magically appeared in iBooks on my iPad or iPhone. I've wondered if the iBookstore would ever be a part of iTunes. Now we know.
How Apple iBooks could compete with Amazon's Kindle in the ebook space (Updated)
Update: The original version of this post cited a $99 fee to set up publishing for books via the iBookstore, which was incorrect; while the developer program $99 fee applies to books-as-apps, it does not apply to iBooks themselves. TUAW was contacted by Apple's media team, and they told us that "anyone can submit books to sell on iBookstore easily, and for free at itunes.com/sellyourbooks." We apologize for the error. Apple's iBooks app and the iBookstore have been available since March of last year, but don't appear to have made as much of an impact as the much older Kindle platform from Amazon. Just last week, Amazon chief Jeff Bezos announced that the company is now selling slightly more electronic books than the dead-tree versions. Last October, one of our bloggers noted that the iBookstore was "one big failure," citing the lack of titles as his main concern. I feel the same way. Although it seems as if things are slowly getting better, I still find myself searching for electronic books in both the iBookstore and Kindle Store, and the majority of the time I buy them from Amazon. Personally, I do like the look of iBooks a lot more than I do Kindle books, and I find incredible numbers of typos in Kindle books. But I still go to the Kindle Store for most of my ebooks simply because I can find what I want to read. During a discussion with several of my fellow bloggers yesterday, it occurred to me that there are a few things that the Kindle electronic publishing platform does much better than the iBookstore. Read more to see some suggestions on what Apple could do to better compete with Amazon's Kindle ebookstore and dominate the ebook market the way that the iPod and iTunes have come to rule the music business.
Apple to exhibit at BookExpo America for the first time
Apple is making a rare appearance at a third-party trade show later this month. The company has reserved a booth in a "prime location" at BookExpo America, which runs from May 23-26. BookExpo America is the largest trade book fair in America, and Apple's booth will be situated by the booths of Random House, Disney Book Group and MacMillian. PaidContent seems to think that Apple is simply attending the BookExpo to raise awareness of its iBooks platform as e-book sales heat up, and it isn't expected that Apple will announce any iBook-related updates. That doesn't take into account the company's dramatically-reduced trade show profile, however, which makes every booth buy newsworthy. The Digital Reader, which broke the news of Apple's attendance, speculates that the rumors of Apple planning something special for Apple Retail's 10th anniversary could have something to do with iBooks. Apple digital libraries, perhaps? [hat tip MacRumors]
The iBookstore gets Random House books
We posted that Random House had made a deal to finally get their books in the iBookstore. Well, it's in the process of happening. This morning the Random House published-Millenium Trilogy by Steig Larsson is available for purchase and the first two books are even at decent prices. Now we'll have to wait and see if Random House's other imprints, and there are around twenty-five of them, make it there as well. My guess is that they will. Maybe there's hope for the iBookstore after all. By the way, along with the Apple store, the Random House site is down as well. I have a feeling this will come up at today's event.
Random House switches e-book pricing models, clears way for entrance into iBookstore
Well, it looks like the last major holdout from Apple's iBookstore could soon be joining its rivals on iOS devices -- Random House announced today that it's abandoning its current pricing model for e-books in favor of the so-called "agency pricing" that Apple insists on. That model requires publishers to set the retail prices of their books with the bookseller getting a 30 percent cut of each sale -- as opposed to the traditional wholesale model that lets retailers set the price of books and even sell them at a loss (as Amazon has done in the past). As the Wall Street Journal notes, the agency model has been criticized by some (including Random House previously) for effectively eliminating discounting and guaranteeing retailers a profit on each book they sell. Of course, Random House hasn't yet officially announced that it will be joining the iBookstore ranks, but this news does certainly line up nicely with a little event tomorrow.
Random House may join Apple's iBookstore
Random House said in a brief statement Monday that it has agreed to the "agency model for e-book sales," according to AppleInsider. That agency model had been the chief stumbling block keeping Random House books from joining the iBookstore. In the traditional publishing model, retailers bought books from publishers at a discount price. Then those retailers sold the books to customers at a markup, with that margin being the retailers' profit. In the agency model, e-books are sold to the customer, and the revenue is split between the retailer and the publisher. Because the agency selling the books (in this case, Apple) set the price, Random House had been concerned the model could significantly decrease profits. Random House's willingness to accept the agency model means we could soon see e-books like Game of Thrones and Public Secrets in the iBookstore.
Apple posts free developer documentation for iBooks users
If your resolutions for 2011 include teaching yourself to be a Mac or iOS developer, then Apple just gave you a very nice Christmas present. According to a tip from our old friend Nik Fletcher at Realmac Software, Apple has recently put a number of Apple Developer Publications books into the iBookstore for free. This makes it simple to grab these books, which range from "The Objective-C Programming Language" to "iOS Application Programming Guide," for reading on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. As our resident developer and iOS guru Erica Sadun points out, it's "kinda dumb" to have the books running on the device you're trying to develop for. It would be nice if Apple eventually made a version of iBooks available for Mac OS X. Although, as commenter Nick points out, once you have the books downloaded, you can open them with any app that supports the EPUB format, like Adobe's Digital Editions product. You can also get a Mac-compatible version of the books by going to the developer site and then selecting the PDF option to download them. The PDFs can also be used on the iPad or iPhone, but since Apple has done the work to convert these documents into nice EPUB-formatted iBooks, why not take advantage of their effort? By my count, there are six books available. To grab them, launch iBooks on your device, tap the Store button, tap the Search icon and then type in "apple developer publications." The books range in length from 44 to 200 pages, and they are great references to use with many of the other developer books from Pearson and Peachpit Press that can also be purchased in the iBookstore.
iBookstore approved for Canada, Rogers to unlock iPhones
The Canadian government approved the Apple iBookstore today, paving the way for Canadian authors to offer their books for sale on the iOS platform. Apple's iBookstore launched internationally on May 28, but the Canadian government had concerns about the cultural effects of this Apple product. Instead of the full version, Apple rolled out a limited version of the iBookstore, populated with select U.S. and public domain titles. Meanwhile, the government scrutinized Apple's iBookstore to confirm it helped to advance Canada's cultural heritage and national identity. After several months of review, the government reached a deal with Apple to bring the full iBookstore to Canada. The Canadian version will be used to promote Canadian and Aboriginal authors and publishers, both in Canada and internationally. Apple will also help Canadian authors and publishers with the eBook creation process. Today brings more good news to Canadians who have a contract-free iPhone on the wireless carrier, Rogers. According to a report from iPhone in Canada, Rogers is reportedly unlocking iPhones for customers who have finished out their contract or bought their handset at the unsubsidized price. To be eligible for this unlocking, customers must be up-to-date with payments and contract-free for at least 30 days before unlocking. A $50 fee is required for the unlocking and the iPhone must be in Rogers equipment history (i.e., you cannot walk into a Rogers store with a random iPhone you bought off the street and expect the carrier to unlock it). This report has not been confirmed by Rogers, so you may want to give your local store a call before you start to dream about using your iPhone on another carrier. [Via AppleInsider]
Survey: Apple iPad catching up to Kindle
There is still a big price difference, but the iPad is challenging the Amazon Kindle as a preferred device for reading e-books in ownership and satisfaction. That's according to a ChangeWave survey of more than 2,800 U.S. consumers. Of iPad owners, 75% said they were "very satisfied" with their devices, while only 54% of Kindle owners could say the same. When the "somewhat satisfied" numbers are added, it's a tighter competition, with the iPad scoring 96% and the Kindle getting 92%. According to ChangeWave's director of Research, Paul Carton, the iPad has doubled its share of the e-reader market since August and is now within 15% of the Amazon Kindle. ChangeWave says the iPad has 32% of the e-reader market, which is up 16% since August, with the Kindle at a 47% share, down 15% in the same period.
Peachpit and Pearson tech books now available in iBookstore
The somewhat bare shelves of the "Computers and Internet" aisle in the iBookstore have suddenly been filled up, with virtual boxes of Peachpit and Pearson tech books being unloaded today. Pearson's stable includes such imprints as Addison Wesley, Cisco Press, IBM Press, Que, Prentice Hall, Pearson IT Certification, and Sams. The titles are divided into sections, including Apple Gadgets & Technology, iOS Development, Internet & Web, IT Certification, Programming and Software Development, Social and Web Marketing, Software Applications, and Web Design & Creation. Peachpit's library includes the Apple Training Series, which is the "official" series of books used in Apple Certification training. I was pleased to see that the Apple Training Series books were discounted: the Mac OS X Support Essentials v 10.6 title that normally sells for $58.49 on the Peachpit site in paperback or for $46.79 in Adobe Reader format is now only $34.99 in the iBookstore. Peachpit books are also divided into sections, including Bestsellers, New Releases, Apple & Apple Certified, Web, Adobe, Photography, Video & Audio, and Graphic Design. For the many techies who own iPhones or iPads, the addition of Peachpit and Pearson books to the iBookstore is going to be a godsend. Unfortunately, it's also another reason to spend a lot of money on those technical books that you've been waiting to read on your iPad. [via Macsimum News]
iBooks gift cards appear in Apple Stores and Target stores
iLounge reports that Apple has started to sell iBooks-branded iTunes Store gift cards in Apple Stores. I also saw the same gift cards for sale in my local Target store this morning. The gift cards come in US$25 and US$50 denominations and, like other iTunes gift cards, aren't limited to purchasing iBooks but can be used to purchase any content in the iTunes Store. The idea behind the iBooks gift card branding is twofold: to appeal to customers buying iPads for book lovers this holiday season and also to remove any doubt in the minds of purchasers that gift cards could not be used in the iBookstore. That was a common misconception, because the iBookstore is only found on iOS devices and not in the iTunes desktop application. But that should be put to rest with these cards right alongside the usual iTunes gift cards this holiday season.
Apple iBookstore has opened in Australia
Just over six months have passed since the launch of the iPad, and today, the iBookstore has now officially opened in Australia. Quoting an Apple spokesperson, The Age reports that the good folks down under now have access to "thousands" of new titles from a wide array of publishers including Macmillan, Hachette, HarperCollins, Hardie Grant, Murdoch Publishers and Wiley. Previously, Australians using an iPad, iPhone or iPod touch were only able to view out-of-copyright books on the Australian iBookstore or use US-based apps like the Amazon Kindle and Kobo app. However, these apps have a meager offering of Australian books, reported The Age. Managing director of Hachette, Malcolm Edwards, said that Australian readers "...now have a store perfectly tailored for their needs." And HarperCollins announced that its "...full e-book catalogue of local and international titles would be available through the iBookstore." If you're in Australia and have access to the new iBooksotre, let us know how it's going in the comments below. [via Macsimum News]
The iBookstore six months after launch: One big failure
It's been over six months since the release of the iPad on April 3rd, and the simultaneous launch of iBooks and the iBookstore, which promised to give Amazon's Kindle and Kindle Store a run for its money. I figured that this would be a good time to see just how the iBookstore has progressed. The answer, in a word: poorly ... very poorly. The Kindle store currently advertises that they have over 700,000 books, magazines, and blogs available for download. Apple hasn't released statistics on the number of currently available books, so an accurate comparison isn't easy to make, but it's a safe bet to say that once you eliminate the ability to load .pdf files, the availability of e-books from the iBookstore pales. At launch, it was reported that the iBookstore contained somewhere between 46,000 and 60,000 titles, 30,000 of which came from the Project Gutenberg library of free out-of-copyright books. However, since these are also available on the Kindle, we can reduce both sides of the equation by 30,000. This brings the number of titles at launch for the iBook to a generous 30,000. That's a big difference, but outside of raw numbers, there are many factors constraining a massive increase in iBookstore sales.
Apple developing iNewsstand to support iBooks?
Apple has been doing what it can to bring publications of a more periodical nature to the iPad and other iDevices, but hasn't exactly offered a stunning portfolio of papers and such. That's set to change according to a Bloomberg report citing the ever popular people "familiar with the matter," indicating that Apple is currently building partnerships with various parties to develop pricing strategies to bring that content to consumers. This will supposedly be presented through a new storefront especially dedicated to periodical content, which could be launching as soon as a few months from now -- though there is also speculation that Apple will sit on it until the launch of a next-gen iPad. There are a number of roadblocks, including an apparent resistance from Apple to release the specific sales metrics that publishers want to tailor their content. Oh, and there's the traditional 30 percent cut of revenue rubbing some the wrong way. Will Apple succeed in bringing all these pubs together? It's certainly succeeded at herding the music industry...
TUAW Tips: Designing covers for the iBookstore
For budding novelists, one of the most exciting things about Apple's iBookstore is the chance to self-publish their writing and have it potentially available to the 100 million people that own iOS 4 devices. A novel is a daunting task, and once the writing is done, the hard part is over ... kinda. There are still two things you need to do: get your book on the iBookstore and make sure it has a compelling cover. We've told you before how to go about self-publishing on the iBookstore, but one thing that many writers are left pondering is what to do about the cover for their novel. Cristina Lopo, owner of the London-based graphic design studio Loop Box, gave me some advice when we met at a book reading a few weeks ago. "The old saying is 'Don't judge a book by its cover,' but unfortunately, books are judged by their covers -- at least at first, and especially on the iBookstore. The cover is what is going to get people to click on your book to learn more about it when they are scrolling through a list of 25 books on a tiny iPhone screen." Click "Read More" for more tips on cover design for the iBookstore.
iBooks now available on iOS 4
A number of iOS 4-compatible apps are being distributed today, and now Apple's iBooks application has gone universal as promised. The new version offers book syncing between the iPhone or iPod touch and the iPad, plus bookmark syncing (via iTunes) and a free copy of Winnie the Pooh. The UI has a few subtle differences. When viewing the iBookstore from the iPhone, the icons across the bottom are Featured, Charts, Browse, Search and Purchases. On the iPad, they're Featured, New York Times selections, Top Charts and Purchases. Bookmark synchronization is done via iTunes. When first launched, you're asked if you'd like to setup bookmark sync. A simple "yes" will do. You can move previously-purchased iBooks to your iPhone in two ways. The first is to sync them like other items in iTunes. With your iPhone connected to iTunes, click the "Books" tab. You'll see options to sync both audio books and iBookstore purchases. You can opt to sync all books at once, or pick-and-choose individual titles. The other method is to go into the iBookstore with your iPhone and tap Purchases. You'll see a list of all the purchases you've made with an option to re-download each one. Reading on the iPhone is of course different than the iPad due to the screen size, but all of the settings in the iPad version, like brightness, text size, search and bookmark, are in place. We'll have an in-depth look at this app up soon. For now, try it out and experience Apple's idea of the iPhone as an ereader.
iBooks for iPhone begins to issue iBooks for iOS 4
Several readers with access to the developer's release of iOS 4 have written to say that they can download iBooks for iPhone. In fact, most users report that they're being prompted to download the app. Just like the iPad version, it includes a free copy of Winnie The Pooh (to the delight of developers' children no doubt). It seems that the app is restricted to 3GS iPhones, confirming what Engadget reported earlier. It's also notable that most report the app can only be downloaded via iTunes for the desktop and not over the air. Enjoy reading about Pooh Bear, and imagine how beautiful the Hundred Acre Wood will be on that Retina Display.
iPad corners 22 percent of ebook market, iBooks gets iPhone version and PDF reader
Apple has just announced that the iPad has collected 22 percent of ebook sales since its launch and is about to get new features too. A PDF viewer is going to be thrown into the iBooks app later this month, and will be accompanied by new bookmarking and note-taking functionality. Yeah, they're basic enhancements at best, but we're still trying to wrap our minds around this idea that Apple is already responsible for nearly a quarter of all ebook sales. Then again, as Steve points out, a cool five million of the darn things have been downloaded in the first 65 days of the iPad's availability. Update: Seems like even five mill ain't gonna be enough for Apple, which is set to massively expand its iBooks user base by bringing the app to iPhone and iPod touch users. You'll be getting the same note-taking, same bookmarking -- same everything -- just on a smaller screen, and at no extra charge. Users will be able to purchase a book on one device and then consume it across the full range of iDevices, with bookmarks and progress getting synced across the ether.%Gallery-94570%%Gallery-94595% Check out more from WWDC 2010 in our liveblog!
UK iBookstore surprise: premium content appears
The iPad has officially hit Europe today (though some lucky duckies got theirs a bit early), and contrary to earlier descriptions of the iBookstore as being "US only" it seems UK virtual bookshelves are now receiving some decidedly in-copyright texts to fill in the gaps between the dusty, out-of-copyright volumes previously available. Prices are displayed in the local currency, nice for those living in fear of the NWO, and purchases are made in just two taps. So, UK owners, download yourself a new book, find a comfy chair, pour a nice cuppa, and enjoy your weekend with your new toy.
Apple will open international Stores early for iPad launch this Friday, iBooks app available now
Apple may be a despot of its own walled garden, but that doesn't mean it's not benevolent. The iPad's international launch on May 28 has prompted the company to open Stores an hour early, at 8AM local time, in order to give its devotees a reprieve from hours of queuing outside. Then again, that little asterisk up there points us to an ominous "while supplies last" note at the bottom, which together with current pre-orders being fulfilled at some unidentified point in June, might force the most impatient to just get to the Store even earlier. UK buyers will get an alternative option thanks to Dixons Group stocking Apple's slate in Currys and PC World outlets, an arrangement that we keep hearing might be exclusive for the first sixty days after launch. Either way, you've been warned, don't be tardy if you wanna be trendy. P.S. The iBooks app has also made its debut outside of the US today, though at present it's limited to just freebie titles, and the iBookstore is still described as "US only." Update: The latest we're hearing is that at least some Apple Premium Resellers will also be getting stock of the iPad in the UK -- worth checking out if other options sell out.
