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Scarpad

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jan 13, 2005
2,152
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Ma
Has anyone heard if there will be an Ipod Touch/Iphone version of the app released? I imagine there would be if the books are going to work across the board. Has anyone heard anything?
 
No one knows for sure, but it is highly doubted that an iPod Touch/iPhone version would be released. It's a major selling point of the iPad.
 
No one knows for sure, but it is highly doubted that an iPod Touch/iPhone version would be released. It's a major selling point of the iPad.

Exactly. iBooks is a key reason why it is not just 'a big iPod Touch'; they wouldn't undermine that.
 
There are already ebook readers for the Touch/Phone. There is one for Android that looks like it's the inspiration for the iBook app, complete with access to an epub book store. The iPad's is simply getting a higher resolutions version, which you can already find for any Linux or Windows PC/Netbook/Tablet. The iPad will fill a niche. Yes, it's the same niche a big-screened Touch would have filled.
 
But i don't believe for a minute that When Itunes starts selling E-books that they will turn away milions of Iphone and Touch users, having them turn to the kindle app or B&N.
 
But i don't believe for a minute that When Itunes starts selling E-books that they will turn away milions of Iphone and Touch users, having them turn to the kindle app or B&N.

They will if it means those iPhone/iPod Touch users won't be buying an iPad because of it.
It's just like them not selling iPad specific apps to iPhone/Touch users.
 
But i don't believe for a minute that When Itunes starts selling E-books that they will turn away milions of Iphone and Touch users, having them turn to the kindle app or B&N.

I agree. I don't think Apple would be stupid enough to not eventually have an iphone ibooks app, since it would be another big source of revenue. I think most people would still only use the ipad to read books since the larger screen makes it much easier, and having the option to then read books on the iphone would not undermine the ipad, but merely be a supplement to the ipad.
 
There's a front-page story now about the App Store and the way that some apps will be limited from being used on other platforms. I expect iBooks.app to be iPad-only. I doubt it can be installed on iPhones or iPod touches.

Maybe down the road - but doubtfully at launch.
 
Actually, I think it's possible. Remember that only ONE country (USA) gets the iBook app on the iPad. Other countries do without.
 
There's a front-page story now about the App Store and the way that some apps will be limited from being used on other platforms. I expect iBooks.app to be iPad-only. I doubt it can be installed on iPhones or iPod touches.

Maybe down the road - but doubtfully at launch.

Q4T
 
I don't see them making it iPad only because there are a ton of other apps out there that will do the same thing on the iPhone / iPod Touch. If they make it iPad only, these people aren't going to flock to the iPad, they are just going to buy their books for the Kindle or other app on the iPhones. Apple does make money off the iPads, but they make MORE money from the sale of books (songs, and movies). They don't want this to all go to Amazon or someone else now do they?

IF they make this move, I'll be seriously disappointed. Especially since even if I do buy an iPad, there may be times where I don't / can't lug it around and want to read something I purchased on my iPhone. Tying the person to ONLY the iPad would seem like a big issue for people like me.
 
Actually, I think it's possible. Remember that only ONE country (USA) gets the iBook app on the iPad. Other countries do without.

Just looked a bit into it, and it would appear that you're right. Can't believe I didn't notice that.
 
I don't see them making it iPad only because there are a ton of other apps out there that will do the same thing on the iPhone / iPod Touch. If they make it iPad only, these people aren't going to flock to the iPad, they are just going to buy their books for the Kindle or other app on the iPhones. Apple does make money off the iPads, but they make MORE money from the sale of books (songs, and movies). They don't want this to all go to Amazon or someone else now do they?

IF they make this move, I'll be seriously disappointed. Especially since even if I do buy an iPad, there may be times where I don't / can't lug it around and want to read something I purchased on my iPhone. Tying the person to ONLY the iPad would seem like a big issue for people like me.

Why not just use one of the apps you were just talking about?
 
Why not just use one of the apps you were just talking about?

Because right now, some books are available for Kindle, some for B&N, some from other places, and they ALL use their own DRM that is not compatible with any other application. I *HATE* the B&N app, I don't care for the Kindle app, but I prefer to use Stanza. If Apple can unify books with one format, and one app (assuming it is 1/2 way decent) then I don't care if I have to pay an extra $1 or $2, they will all be together in the same place with the same format, I'm there. Besides I much rather have 1 application to read all my books instead of 3 or 4 (which is what I have now).
 
But i don't believe for a minute that When Itunes starts selling E-books that they will turn away milions of Iphone and Touch users, having them turn to the kindle app or B&N.

If they open up the ibook app to iPhone and ipod touch users they'll cannibalize their iPad sales. What justification of buying the iPad will there be, other then the sales.

Apple needs to differentiate the iPad from the iPod touch/iPhone in order to convince consumers to purchase it. The ibook app is one item doing that.
 
If they open up the ibook app to iPhone and ipod touch users they'll cannibalize their iPad sales. What justification of buying the iPad will there be, other then the sales.

It could very well be the other way around as well. Spending a good amount of time downloading books and reading them on the iPhone and maybe you'll be convinced to buy the iPad for a larger, more pleasurable reading experience.
 
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