Will the iPad be killed by Google Editions? The Kindle slayer? Google Editions is a browser based e-book platform that could keep Apple and Amazon looking for some no fax pay day loans. The Google Editions launch date of late June or July was announced earlier this week. Google Editions, unlike Amazon and Apple, is a digital publishing service offering books that customers can read on any device and buy from whoever wants to sell the books to them. Publishers are probably the most excited about Google Editions e-books. Google Editions will also let publishers name their own prices, also unlike Apple and Amazon business.
Google Editions eBooks
At Random House’s New York offices by Christ Palma, Google’s strategic partner development manager, the Google Editions debut was announced. The Wall Street Journal says Google Edition users will be able to read Google Editions e-books they discover through Google’s book-search. Google Editions will also allow book retailers — including local independent shops — sell Google Editions on their own sites and let them keep most of the money.
The Google Editions launch date
Amazon and Apple’s goals of dominating e-publishing is being seriously threatened by the Google Edition launch date. For its Kindle device, Amazon currently has more than 500,000 titles available. Apple has tens of thousands and counting for its iPad. A much larger selection than Amazon or Apple, Google has already digitalized 12 million books. All consumers are only able to buy Kindle titles at Amazon or iPad titles at Apple. Any device that has a browser can access Google Editions since titles will be available everywhere.
Google Editions and e-pub
In just a few short months, Google Editions e-pub might turn the whole publishing world upside down, including online and in real life. In an article published in the New Yorker in April, Dan Clancy of Google Books said that in trying to dominate the market, Amazon and Apple were definitely taking the wrong approach to online business. “It’s much more of an open ecosystem, where you find a way for bricks-and-mortar stores to participate in the future digital world of books,” he said. “We’re quite comfortable having a diverse range of physical retailers, whereas most of the other players would like to have a less competitive space, because they’d like to dominate.”
Amazon reality check
One of the greatest things about the Google Editions is that it lets publishers set the price of their books, and gives local bookstores a chance to compete with behemoths like Amazon, Apple and Barnes and Noble. Amazon’s book pricing policy is causing ill-will in the publishing world. Amazon, trying to gain market dominance is losing money by insisting on selling e-books for a flat $ 9.99. The New Yorker reports that with 80-90 percent market share, Amazon thinks it can later bend publishers to its will.
Will the iPad be killed by Google Editions?
Is it possible that Google Editions will be the iPad killer? With the Google Editions launch date approaching, the Wall Street Journal reports that publishers haven’t officially agreed to participate, but most industry insiders think it’s an offer they can’t refuse. More outlets are needed by publishers to sell books. Small bookstores never seen will make money on millions of titles. You also don’t need to buy a Kindle or an iPad to read them. So why should you?
Resources
Wall Street Journal
online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703866704575224232417931818.html?mod=WSJ_business_LeadStoryCollection
New Yorker
newyorker.com/reporting/2010/04/26/100426fa_fact_auletta
CNET
news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10444878-93.html?tag=mncol;txt
Comments on this entry are closed.