Google Editions E-books – The Ultimate Kindle And IPad Killer?

Is Google Editions the iPad killer? The Kindle slayer? Apple and Amazon might start looking for no fax pay day loans because of the Google Editions which is a browser based e-book platform. The launch date of late June or July for Google Editions 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. Also unlike the Apple and Amazon business models, Google Editions will let the publishers name their own prices.

eBooks by Google Editions

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 reports that Google Edition users will be able to read Google Editions e-books they discover through Google’s book-search. Google editions will be allowing book retailers, including many independent shops, to sell Google Editions on their own web sites and will let them keep most of the money.

The Google Editions launch date

Google Editions’ launching is a big threat to the Amazon and Apple goals to dominate e-publishing. Currently, Amazon promotes more than 500,000 titles for its Kindle device. 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. Consumers can only buy Kindle titles at Amazon or iPad titles at Apple. Google Editions will make it so titles are available everywhere, to be read on any device that has a browser.

E-pub for Google Editions

The publishing world, including online and in real life, would be turned upside down by Google Editions e-pub in just a few months. 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 biggest pros about 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. The book pricing policy of Amazon is causing ill-will in the publishing world. Because Amazon is insisting on selling e-books for a flat $ 9.99, they are actually losing money. Since Amazon has 80-90 percent market share, the New Yorker reports they think they will later be able to bend publishers to its will.

Google Editions – iPad killer?

Will Google Editions 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. Books need to be sold in more outlets for publishers. Even the smallest corner bookstore can make money on millions of titles. You also don’t need to buy a Kindle or an iPad to read them. So why would you buy them?

Article Resources

Wall Street Journal

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703866704575224232417931818.html?mod=WSJ_business_LeadStoryCollection

New Yorker

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/04/26/100426fa_fact_auletta

publishers set the price of their books

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10444878-93.html?tag=mncol;txt


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