Apple announces "iBooks" application for iPad

Hoping to stand on Amazon's shoulders, Apple announced its newest app, iBooks, for the new iPad device (and also for existing iPod touch/iPhone users? It wasn't clear from the statement). The iBooks app will function as an eReader, and users can download titles from the new iBooks store, starting today. Apple announced partnerships with five major publishing houses, including Penguin, Macmillan, and Simon & Shuster -- but not McGraw Hill, which had a noticeable NDA break yesterday.

Reading and page turning all look intuitive and natural for users, and Apple hopes to combine casual as well as academic reading on the device.

image courtesy Engadget

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Hoping to stand on Amazon's shoulders, Apple announced its newest app, iBooks, for the new iPad device (and also for existing iPod...

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awundrin

I don't think that reading on an LCD for a few hours will ''kill" your eyes...most of us sit in front of computers for hours on end and are not blind yet! I am not impressed that much with the iPad myself-too heavy, too big. I'll stick with my Kindle for now---until something smaller, very adept and w a color option comes along that's affordable.

February 08 2010 at 1:38 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Tom Kelley

This is going to be great to read comic books on!

January 28 2010 at 12:29 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Jason

My guess is that it will be included in an upcoming OS update in 3.2, perhaps 4.0. They wouldn't make it a mere iTunes download. This will be another permanent app, like the iTunes Store and App Store.

I'd bet the reason they didn't announce it for iPhone/iPod Touch yesterday was that it was entirely an iPad event. There were absolutely no iPhone-related announcements at all. That's probably coming in March, at which time we'll likely hear about the iBooks app coming to iPhone.

January 28 2010 at 11:43 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

hawo0524

iPad
Looks great and I hope sells like hot cakes but I'm not buying one.

the current iPad looks perfect for reading newspapers, magazines the od book and looking at websites that don't have flash. But that's not enough really is it. I want to look at websites with flash, video chat with my family, watch videos in widescreen and do more than one thing at a time.
So I can see iPad II:
Lighter
A still/video camera
A wider screen
Limited multi tasking
Game touch pads on the bevel
Larger memory
and 3D operating system

BTW iBooks looks too much like Delicious Library for it to be a coincidence. Come on Apple if you liked it so much then you should have just bought the company.

January 27 2010 at 11:02 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

mark

No it's not e ink. It's backlit!

January 27 2010 at 5:21 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

HektikLyfe

Shelfari?

January 27 2010 at 5:15 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Anyone knows if the ipad will be available outside the US any time soon? will the books offered in iBook will be licensed for every country or will we need to wait just like with the iphone and kindle?

January 27 2010 at 3:56 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Re's comment

Todd

The device goes international from the start, the ibooks don't, but I bet they follow in a year or less like TV and Movies did in the itunes store.

January 27 2010 at 4:38 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Grant Buell

"users can download titles from the new iBooks store, starting today"

Today? Really? How?

January 27 2010 at 3:38 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Grant Buell's comment

brotkel

I hope he means it'll be on the iPhone, because I want it. I assume that there's going to have to be a new version of iTunes released before we can get to the bookstore.

January 27 2010 at 4:01 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Steve

WIll books from the iBookstore working on other epub e-readers?

January 27 2010 at 3:26 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Eric

Not impressed...souped up iPod/iPhone.. I was excited prior..now I will pass. This is the most exciting tech Jobs has worked on...???

January 27 2010 at 2:53 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

2 replies to Eric's comment

HektikLyfe

Souped up how exactly?

It looks like the iPod and iPhone can do MORE. I think reception will be luke warm.

No camera.
No SD reader.
No multi-tasking.
No flash.
No free 3G for books like other, cheaper eReaders.
No radio.
No deal.

I was hoping that super thick black border was still touch sensitive (great for games where your thumbs wouldn't be blocking the controls.

Pixel doubling will also double the size of those already ugly mapped on controls so you will essentially be swiping over giant controls.

They really needed another year on this I think.