Apple is taking over the world, one iStore at a time. It started with iTunes Store and skyrocketed with the App Store. Now some of us are waiting with curiosity and anticipation of the iBook Store. Apple announced the new Apple iPad to many praises and pauses across the web. Is it enough to take the ebook crown from the Amazon Kindle?
The Apple iPad
The iPad stands at:
- 9.7 inches, .5 inches thin, and 1.5lbs
- Multi-touch
- Holds up to 64GB of flash storage
- Powered by Apple’s very own 1Ghz Apple A4 chip
- 10 hour batter life / 30 days standby time
- Starting price: $499 (Kindle starts at $259)
It also runs just about every iPhone app available for download. Yes, iPhone apps! There’s 140,000 of them and you might be looking forward to curling up with the iPad and a few faves. That is unless you’re Amazon.
The iBook Store
What’s the deal with Amazon? Not only did Apple release a new device, but a new ebook app directory called iBooks. The iBooks Store will allow for browsing and purchasing of books directly from the iPad. It will support ePub formatted books, which is are supported by the Sony Reader and Adobe Digital Editions for desktops. It makes the iPad one of the biggest potential competitors for the Amazon Kindle, which really had no competition up until now. Apple also enlisted five large publishers to join in on the world domination:
- Penguin
- Harper Collins
- Macmillan
- Hachette Book Group
- Simon & Schuster
Suites like iWork have been completely revamped for the iPad and iPhone app developers will be allowed to take advantage of the extra real estate. The event begs the question, will the Amazon Kindle survive?
Apple iPad VS Amazon Kindle
There’s no denying that Apple is encroaching on Amazon’s grounds with iBooks and the iPad. Apple is playing catch-up in field of ebook readers, but they already have an advantage considering the platform that the iPad is built from. The transition is a natural one for iPhone owners. Plus, the iPad would probably get picked up more often than the Kindle on looks alone. If iBooks spreads to the iPhone the Amazon Kindle will be in serious trouble.
But Amazon has firm following of die hard Kindle owners. Plus, almost everyone goes to Amazon to buy books at discounted prices. If we’re going by Apple’s music model, ebooks might be dirt cheap. Cheaper or on par with the $9.99 cost of most Kindle downloads.
Look, I only want to know one thing from you:
- Will you even buy the iPad?
