Will Apple Become Largest eBook Dealer?

[Neil]

Just researched an article that's now up on http://www.joyofipad.com and thought I'd share the concept here as well. Basically there are two facts making the rounds of the Internet which you have probably seen. First off Amazon has said that for the past quarter they have sold more eBooks than they have hardcover books to Kindle owners including hardcovers for which there are no Kindle editions. Also, it appears that Apple has now sold about a quarter million more iPads than there are Kindles. Is this the beginning a a logical progression that Amazon sells more eBooks than books, that Apple sells more iPads than there are Kindle sales, so Apple will sell more eBooks than Amazon? Obviously, not yet. Not everyone buys the iPad as an ereader. But do you think Apple is in a position to at least be on track to outsell Amazon in eBooks?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Neil

But do you think Apple is in a position to at least be on track to outsell Amazon in eBooks?

Not unless they dramatically improve their "iBookstore". It's pretty dire at present.

[kjk]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Not unless they dramatically improve their "iBookstore". It's pretty dire at present.

And not unless they release iBook apps for other platforms.

My fearless predictions:
Apple will sell more iPads than Kindles.
Amazon will sell more Kindle books than iBooks.

[drofgnal]

I have an ipad and I exclusively use the Kindle app for purchased books. So no I don't think apple will outsell amazon in ebooks.

I do prefer to read classics in ibooks. I find they are all free where as amazon sometimes charges 99 cents. Also with no built in dictionary on the kindle ipad app, like ibooks has, classics are easier to read on ibooks.

[Bremen Cole]

Amazon would have to screw up REALLY bad for that to happen. As long as Amazon keeps putting out apps for PC/Mac/iDevices/Android...etc and keeps the prices and experience right... no way!

[Maggie Leung]

I love my iPad as a reader, but I don't buy iBooks; I don't want my content tethered to one company's hardware. Amazon gets most of my e-book money. Its apps allow hardware flexibility, and its user experience and customer service are good.

I have no loyalty to companies, though. If another serves me better, I'll show up with my money.

[Crowl]

I just can't see there being enough compelling reason why people would choose ibooks over the kindle app, you are locking yourself in when Amazon are working hard to give the impression that by choosing them you are not locked in, even though you obviously are to their format.

[sunnysmiles]

Well Ibooks are far more expensive than amazon . I shop around but it is not just price its the availability of books that I want . Amazon so far is the cheapest and has a good selection and WH Smith have too . I books I use for Classics .
What does beef me about the Kindle is that it does not number the pages of the book . Also even some of the public domain titles are not available n UK from Amazon.

[Yoshi 1080]

Amazons eBooks can be read on the iPad, iPhone, Kindle, Android, Mac and PC and I’m sure many more platforms to come. iBooks on the other hand? iPad and iPhone, that's it. So no, I don't think Apple will outsell Amazon in terms of eBooks any time soon. Plus that would be rather difficult to achieve given the small selection on the iBookstore.

But I must say that I prefer the iBooks app to the Kindle app by far. The font is better and the line height is higher, making text more readable. So Apple is definitely very competitive in that market nonetheless.

[tyche]

The ipad is a vehicle for others to increase their ebook sales. I seriously doubt Apple will ever be in the lead position ebooks sold via iBooks store. But I'm sure Amazon, Kobo, b&n have Apple to thank for increased sales this quarter.

[Rique]

I'm with the consensus on this question. iBooks would have to improve the selection, the pricing model and their poorly presented store UI to have a chance.

For me personally (not sure how representative of the market as a whole that I am...) another show-stopper is Apple's Fairplay DRM. As long as iBooks publications are Fairplay - and as long as there is no easy, proven way to scrub that nasty DRM, there is no way I'm interested in an "iBook".

Luckily, I can run numerous reading apps on the iPad and can easily buy (and scrub DRM) from Kindle, B&N, Borders, and even FictionWise. iBooks is not even in the running.

[Bremen Cole]

I got so inspired by reading all this, I went to Amazon and bought a book

Just for fun, the facts..... Amazon had the ebook for $3.99, iBooks didn't have it at all..... I would bet a hamburger that if iBooks would have had it, it would have been higher than $3.99..... but I would not have bought it from them, even if it was cheaper...why? Because of their DRM.....

[Yoshi 1080]

My impression is that iBookstore and Amazon are pretty similar in terms of price. Sometimes the former is cheaper and sometimes the latter.

[leebase]

I think the iPad will become the dominant reading device -- but I do not see that translating to it becoming the dominant ebook seller. Though Amazon won't tell us, I'm betting they sell more books to iPad owners than Apple does.

I bought a bunch of books through Fictionwise last fall that I haven't read yet, and I have a bunch of books from free sources like the Baen Free Library cued up. And some unspent micropay money at fictionwise. So for now, I haven't been in book buying mode.

But when I get back to buying -- I'll probably be buying from Amazon. I like the iBook app better than the kindle app...but until the iBook DRM is hacked, I'm not buying from Apple.

Lee

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by leebase

I think the iPad will become the dominant reading device -- but I do not see that translating to it becoming the dominant ebook seller. Though Amazon won't tell us, I'm betting they sell more books to iPad owners than Apple does.

I bought a bunch of books through Fictionwise last fall that I haven't read yet, and I have a bunch of books from free sources like the Baen Free Library cued up. And some unspent micropay money at fictionwise. So for now, I haven't been in book buying mode.

But when I get back to buying -- I'll probably be buying from Amazon. I like the iBook app better than the kindle app...but until the iBook DRM is hacked, I'm not buying from Apple.

Lee

I doubt that there will ever be more iPads than iPhones, so I don't see how it could be the dominant reading device. And no matter how many there are, it will never be the dominant _reading_ device. It's not all that great for reading.