Any chance of apple entering the ebook market?

[kuliand]

Apple has strong education connections so with amazon targeting this market with it's kindle do you think Apple will enter the ebook market? it would also give itunes another product to sell and would strengthen itunes against amazon in the digital age and add to itunes U.

They could also do bundles with a macbook with the ebook reader maybe even using the ibook name for it so students who buy a new mac for for uni/college would also get the apple ebook reader at the same time. Also chance to sell them in deals directly to the education sector when they buy macs.

It might not be the success that the iphone and ipod have been but it would sell atleast 1 million units in it's first year just down to the apple logo alone and they have shown with the apple tv that they don't mind the odd product selling in low numbers.

Edit: plus apple might realize there is a huge world out there not just the US.

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by kuliand

Apple has strong education connections so with amazon targeting this market with it's kindle do you think Apple will enter the ebook market? it would also give itunes another product to sell and would strengthen itunes against amazon in the digital age and add to itunes U.

They could also do bundles with a macbook with the ebook reader maybe even using the ibook name for it so students who buy a new mac for for uni/college would also get the apple ebook reader at the same time. Also chance to sell them in deals directly to the education sector when they buy macs.

It might not be the success that the iphone and ipod have been but it would sell atleast 1 million units in it's first year just down to the apple logo alone and they have shown with the apple tv that they don't mind the odd product selling in low numbers.

Edit: plus apple might realize there is a huge world out there not just the US.

No. You see, Apple has figured out something that the ENTIRE REST OF THE WORLD hasn't guessed. No one (at least not anyone who's sane, rational or intelligent) actually reads any more. Thus, for Apple to waste all its money developing a product that no one wants or needs is, really, quite silly.

Derek

[JSWolf]

I'm hoping Apple doesn't decide to go into the eBook market. They've botched the iPhone and iPod Touch. So I see them botching up an eBook reader with more flash then substance and rather poor battery life.

[Sonist]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I'm hoping Apple doesn't decide to go into the eBook market. They've botched the iPhone and iPod Touch. So I see them botching up an eBook reader with more flash then substance and rather poor battery life.

JSWolf, I have to respectfully disagree here. Apple generally does UI really, really well. And it's products are generally very intuitive and easy to use.

I've had WM-based HTC phones for years. Heavily modified, they do many, many things the iPhone can't. But they are not nearly as easy and seamless to use, as the iPhone. In fact, when the next iPhone comes out in June, I will probably jump on it, and dump HTC. It's just better.

So, I think it would be good, if Apple enters the market. Heck, the Kindle 2 and the Kindle DX even look like they were designed by Apple (maybe a few years ago )

But if Apple can apply some of its UI genius to an e-reader, it would be good for us, and good for the ebook market.

[maynard]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I'm hoping Apple doesn't decide to go into the eBook market. They've botched the iPhone and iPod Touch. So I see them botching up an eBook reader with more flash then substance and rather poor battery life.

Uhhh, I own an iPhone and I don't think Apple has botched either the hardware or the OS. However, I do admit that the device would be pretty worthless to me unjailbroken.

However, AT&T service is simple abysmal. In Boston I regularly see 3G call drops and service interruptions, which I assume is due to having oversubscribed their service with all those new iPhones. I typically keep the phone on EDGE just so I can make uninterrupted telephone calls.

Pathetic service from AT&T.

[JSWolf]

the main problems Apple has is that the battery is not replaceable and has a short life when the screen is on. Plus, it shows all kinds of fingerprints. So you use your iPhone for stuff other then making calls and when you need to make calls, the battery goes flat.

[Sonist]

My wife's iPhone has significantly better battery life than my HTC. And most people don't swap batteries (there are 3rd party battery packs for the iPhone).

Both are touch-screens (except that the iPhone's is much better integrated/implemented), and in all honesty, fingerprints are a non-issue for me, and I guess for a large portion of the market. Certainly far outweighed by the convenience of touch-screen.

As to AT&T, in my area it's really good, but I understand for others this may not be the case. I would prefer it if the iPhone was unlocked, even though I would still have my accounts with AT&T.

[ilovejedd]

No thanks. While Apple does UI and hardware fairly well, I don't really fancy being locked into iTunes just so I can transfer my books.

[Sonist]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

No thanks. While Apple does UI and hardware fairly well, I don't really fancy being locked into iTunes just so I can transfer my books.

I would agree, except that it's not all that different than what how the Kindle works. Plus, there are many ways to bypass iTunes, if you don't like it, and I don't see how it would be different for ebooks.

If Apple enters the field, it would be a good thing: more competition. The you can chose to get an Apple device, or something else.

(Think of it this way: if Apple had not rolled out the iPhone, I doubt we'd have seen the mad scramble to improve UI, and particularly touch-screen UI, among phone manufacturers.)

[kuliand]

Ye i don't see how apple would be any more DRM laden than the kindle system. I also think the fact apple would likely would get a move on and release world wide would force amazon to do the same or risk itunes winning the book market aswell music.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by Sonist

I would agree, except that it's not all that different than what how the Kindle works. Plus, there are many ways to bypass iTunes, if you don't like it, and I don't see how it would be different for ebooks.

That's one of the reasons the Kindle's not under consideration if/when I do buy an e-ink reader. PRS-505 + Calibre would probably be it for me. True, there are now many ways to bypass iTunes but there would still be lag from when the device is released and when you can actually use it without iTunes.

Originally Posted by Sonist

If Apple enters the field, it would be a good thing: more competition. The you can chose to get an Apple device, or something else.

That'll probably be the only thing worth looking forward to. Unfortunately, the market for ebook readers is likely much smaller than the market for phones (even smartphones). Right now, it's Amazon Kindle vs everyone. If it turns into an Apple vs Amazon match up with all the other players gone, that's a huge loss.

[fugazied]

I wouldn't say Apple has botched iPod Touch/iPhone. The usability is great on both devices, the app store has some incredible stuff. Those devices basically do everything and they fit in your pocket. Web/Email, audiobooks, applications, pdfs, text, music, movies.
Rumors abound that Apple will be releasing a 9.5" touch device in June, if that comes out, suddenly reading just got a lot easier on their devices. THEN you might see the app store adding ebooks.

Apple already has the infrastructure, they already work with so many music/movie/tv companies, so adding ebooks would be pretty simple I imagine.

[timezone]

There was a very remote rumor about Apple preparing an eReader despite the negative words of Steve Jobs. Here lies the problem. This year they are slated to bring out an extremely thin and light tablet PC. Of course it will have a reflective backlit screen that is bad for extended reading but it is these tablet PC's that can eventually crush e-ink. E-ink very quickly has to improve refresh rates and introduce color. With fast refresh rates eReaders could emulate page turning and do it well with a capacitive touch screen. Of course fast refresh rates could mean video. Even without the net connection there are lectures and other learning material that would be great on a small device. Still, even from just a pure book reading device the refresh rates better improve fast and not good if it takes another couple of years for color. I believe e-ink is in the race for its life against the shrinking tablet computers.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by fugazied

I wouldn't say Apple has botched iPod Touch/iPhone. The usability is great on both devices, the app store has some incredible stuff. Those devices basically do everything and they fit in your pocket. Web/Email, audiobooks, applications, pdfs, text, music, movies.
Rumors abound that Apple will be releasing a 9.5" touch device in June, if that comes out, suddenly reading just got a lot easier on their devices. THEN you might see the app store adding ebooks.

Apple already has the infrastructure, they already work with so many music/movie/tv companies, so adding ebooks would be pretty simple I imagine.

Doesn't matter how good the iPhone/iPod Touch are if you can't get more than 3 hours on it with the screen on. I can charge my 505, take it with me on my trip to Scotland, and not have to worry about the battery then entire trip. The iPod Touch would have been dead and buried long before the plane first landed. That is why Apple botched things big time. So it can do a lot. But it can only do a lot for a little amount of time. Having to carry a spare battery pack can be done and there are a lot of them for Apple products. Why? Because the battery life is poor. an iPod makes a poor reader.

I have a book I am reading now that is 414 pages in ePub which means it's actually about 550 actual screen pages. If I started reading that on an iPod Touch using Stanza, the battery would be dead before I finished it. I can read this on a full charge on an eink device. Sure, you may think the screen on the iPod is wonderful. But that wonderful screen is eating the battery. So while you have a page of text sitting there for reading, you are using more battery then I am on my 505.

Cowon has the O2 which has a nice color screen and plays more formats of music. It gets about 10 hours just with video. And I think up to 52 hours playing music. So as you see, better battery life is possible. But Apple botched the battery and that makes the iPhone/Touch botched big time. And if Apple comes out with a tablet, chances are it'll be botched as well.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I have a book I am reading now that is 414 pages in ePub which means it's actually about 550 actual screen pages. If I started reading that on an iPod Touch using Stanza, the battery would be dead before I finished it.

Not true. I have an iPhone and I could easily finish 800-(Stanza-sized-)page epub files on a single charge. Granted, I don't listen to music and I have wifi turned off while reading, nonetheless, the fact remains that it's possible to finish a fairly long ebook without having to charge midway. Due to the nature of my work, I can read ebooks while working. I usually read on the iPhone for more than 8 hours straight (I'm used to reading on backlit screens) without needing to charge. I tend to charge it daily overnight when I get home, though, so I don't run out of battery during the day.

Video playback naturally consumes more power. For one thing, aside from the screen display, you also have audio running in the background. For obvious reasons, decoding video streams would also consume more power than displaying simple text.