Quote:
Originally Posted by pdurrant
I disagree. Amazon already support two file formats without really telling customers about it. Adding a third will be relatively simple.
I predict that they will start to support ePub ebooks, but not DRMed ePubs from Adobe, B&N or Apple. They will add DRM-free ePub support while retaining their current DRM-free Mobipocket rendering ability, and also start to transition new titles over to a combined Mobipocket/ePub format (DRMed and DRM-free), while still selling and supporting Mobipocket and Topaz format ebooks.
Unlike the Sony transition from LRX to ePub, I think Amazon's transition to ePub will be gradual and invisible to consumers.
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I agree that Amazon would make sure the transition is transparent. They'll continue to make mobi available for older devices (or apps) that aren't updated (even for new titles, via automated conversion), and at least one or two generations of Kindles will support the older formats.
They do not have to deal with Adobe DRM as long as the book is delivered within the Kindle system. They can use their own DRM (when you download directly to a Kobo/B&N device/app, no Adobe DRM is involved. Kobo uses their own DRM scheme, and the latest Nooks put the books in a hidden partition.)
But they would be smart to add the ability for Kindle to consume Adobe DRM and also so that Amazon epubs can be downloaded with Adobe DRM. This would let people move to Kindle platform without losing investment in Adobe DRM ebooks, and neutralize the fears that Amazon purchases will vanish if Amazon goes out of the business or something, and so more people would consider becoming Kindle customers.