I dont agree, the potential profit margin on eBooks is so much higher than music or movies. Really small file sizes, very low production costs compared to movies and even music. It could be a major market in no time... eBooks just need their iPod moment and thats exactly what Apple is aiming at. Imagine if they released a new Harry Potter book and apple blagged the rights to release it on the iBook Store a week ahead of anywhere else? Really serious revenue.
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Will the (iPhone) Kindle app be on the iPad?
- Thread starter Sandy Santra
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I dont agree, the potential profit margin on eBooks is so much higher than music or movies. Really small file sizes, very low production costs compared to movies and even music. It could be a major market in no time... eBooks just need their iPod moment and thats exactly what Apple is aiming at. Imagine if they released a new Harry Potter book and apple blagged the rights to release it on the iBook Store a week ahead of anywhere else? Really serious revenue.
Amazon has already announced its intentions to update its Kindle app for the iPad.
Amazon Blackberry announcement (see below). If you look at the release it says:
"Amazons Whispersync technology saves and synchronizes a customers bookmarks across their Kindle, Kindle DX, iPhone, iPod touch, PC, BlackBerry and soon, Mac and iPad, so customers always have their reading material with them and never lose their place."
You probably would still have to order books on Kindle or through Amazon rather than on the iPad. Either way, for the current Kindle installed base, it will be important to be able to read prior purchases on the iPad so that you don't have to re-buy them.
Also it's fair to say that Amazon will have far more books available than Apple will at launch. iPad will be great for best-sellers but will have a long way to go before hitting Kindle's book availability. That speaks to Amazon's ebook viability for quite some time.
That said, it's hard to figure out what Amazon intends. They are not a hardware company and lose money on the Kindle device itself. They also by their own admission are not making money on ebooks either -- in fact they subsidize ebooks to the tune of about $1.50 per sale. I'm sure there's a plan to make money in here somewhere but right now I don't see it, unless their intention is to become such a force in ebook selling that they can eventually dictate better terms.
Amazon Blackberry announcement (see below). If you look at the release it says:
"Amazons Whispersync technology saves and synchronizes a customers bookmarks across their Kindle, Kindle DX, iPhone, iPod touch, PC, BlackBerry and soon, Mac and iPad, so customers always have their reading material with them and never lose their place."
You probably would still have to order books on Kindle or through Amazon rather than on the iPad. Either way, for the current Kindle installed base, it will be important to be able to read prior purchases on the iPad so that you don't have to re-buy them.
Also it's fair to say that Amazon will have far more books available than Apple will at launch. iPad will be great for best-sellers but will have a long way to go before hitting Kindle's book availability. That speaks to Amazon's ebook viability for quite some time.
That said, it's hard to figure out what Amazon intends. They are not a hardware company and lose money on the Kindle device itself. They also by their own admission are not making money on ebooks either -- in fact they subsidize ebooks to the tune of about $1.50 per sale. I'm sure there's a plan to make money in here somewhere but right now I don't see it, unless their intention is to become such a force in ebook selling that they can eventually dictate better terms.
The publisher will make money on eBooks, but again, off topic. Under the agreement Apple has supposedly made with the publishers, Apple will make less than the 30% take it gets from apps. But I'll be generous and say Apple gets 30%, and that hosting books at Apple's server farm costs Apple nothing.
30% of a $13.00 is $4. Lets say Apple sells as many books as it does movies, although we know people watch more movies than read books. That is about 10 million. Now that is since 2007, but again I'll be generous and say its only a year. That's 40 million dollars gross profit in book sales. Do you know what $40m is to Apple? It's less than half the cost of Steve Jobs jet.
So again, and for the last time, books are not going to be a huge profit center for Apple. It's a mere carrot to get the rabbit to the iPad.
The problem with just using the 2x scale for iPhone apps is that the fonts are rendered, then scaled, which is going to look pretty terrible. Not to mention the fact that it will only have as few words per line as the iPhone version. I'm hoping they let them have an iPad version.
You most certainly can buy Kindle books directly from the iPhone with the Kindle Reader. I just did it using their One Click and getting an immediate download to the iPhone. It was very easy. The Get Books button inside the Kindle Reader takes you to Kindle eBooks on Amazon.com and you can also search for eBooks.
I certainly hope so. I love that app.. it has books on there that I don't think ibook will have.
Yes it really does work and it works well! Your right on!
One thing that surprised me was just how clear and easy it was for me to read my kindle books on the iPod touch. I own a Kindle 2 and after reading on the touch, it was enough for me to say that I prefer the touch screen to the kindles, contrary to all the debates about e-ink screens. It helped me in my final decision about the iPad.
Hence the 32 gig iPad is on Pre-order--))))
I prefer the iPad screen crispness and for me I know it will be a lot easier to read on after trying out the Kindle app on my iTouch screen.
Each has it's place and I will still use my Kindle when away from home (the latest update was great) and my iPad on my wi-fi when I am home! Best of both worlds--)))
After reading that statement from Amazon, sounds pretty good it will be available. I don't see a reason for Apple to reject an iPad Kindle app. It can only help, imo.