Extreme Tech's Jim Lynch has a nice little tidbit today on a possible Apple eBook Reader. Lynch thinks Apple CEO gave away a big hint in a recent NYT interview and he writes it makes a lot of sense because while the iTunes store sells audio books, it has no eBook presence and a reader would provide a way to sell or rent ebooks.
Call me skeptical, but Sony came out with a very nice eBook reader last year called the Sony Reader and so far as I know it hasn't done much. You certainly don't see a Sony Reader everywhere you go as you do the iPod, for instance. I'm not sure it will mean much if Apple comes out with its own reader. I don't really see any reason it would be any more successful than any other eBook Reader device out there. Just because it has the Apple name doesn't guarantee success.
It would seem a more reasonable course of action would be to develop an eBook application for the iPod Touch/iPhone (a possibility Lynch raises in his article but dismisses), which have large enough screens to allow you to read at least somewhat comfortably. It seems like every time someone comes out with a new eBook reader, everyone gets hyped about it, but whether this rumor turns out to be true or not, I'm not holding my breath that this would finally be the eBook's killer device. I'm not sure there ever will be one because I think the people out there who are still reading prefer paper.
Apple's iPod touch was said to be a strategic product in Apple's future plans. With Intel's planned processors, Apple will be expanding in this product area. A more full featured OS X hand held appears likely. Calling it an ebook would be short sighted. A full range of content is more likely as the ebook market is too small to support a dedicated hardware product. This from Jobs, himself, appears true, not a piece of misdirection.
Posted by: Robert B | February 05, 2008 at 08:28 PM
"It would seem a more reasonable course of action would be to develop an eBook application for the iPod Touch/iPhone"
Need I say more?
That's really all Apple have to do.
It's a software thing, not a hardware issue...
Posted by: Wayne Smallman | February 06, 2008 at 07:52 AM
Well, there's a bunch of different factors at work.
One thing to keep in mind is that the current readers out there now (Sony Reader, Amazon Kindle) have the DRM factor. I think Kindle may have .txt support, but none of them let you view PDFs directly without conversion first. Most of their books are from one store.
There's also cost. The Kindle is $400. Sony Reader is $300. If they can get down in price a bit more, that'd certainly help.
I have no doubt that a reader will succeed eventually, but I haven't seen the "killer device" yet.
I still need to see one of these e-ink machines in person. I found reading on my old Tungsten PDA actually wasn't that bad. Having something with even better legibility and way better battery life would be nice, though.
Posted by: Shawn Fumo | February 12, 2008 at 04:32 PM
My hope is that Apple will at least write an application in iLife which will allow the Sony Reader to operate with Apple computers. Just like the other Sony products (high end video cameras) that did not work with Apple until they wrote their own program and made the code available in Apple applications. I would be HAPPY to pay Apple to allow the Sony Reader to work with my computers. Better yet - if Apple did build a Reader I would buy it in a new york second. Come on Apple get in the game and solve this problem!!!
Posted by: John | February 23, 2008 at 12:35 AM
Sony's eBook reader PRS-505 has no dictionary support. The new and improved PRS-700BC added a booklight to it and still has NO DICTIONARY SUPPORT. Sony just does not get it! People want dictionary so they can tap on difficult words as they read. When Apple designs products, it keeps customers in mind. That is why Apple eBook reader will be huge success!
Posted by: Singh T. Junior | December 12, 2008 at 11:34 AM
I wish apple comes up with a ereader, I compared other readers in the market. But the quality of reading is so bad when compared to iTouch. But again I wouldn't want to read a book on iTouch, I would want something of the same size of Sony reader. Sony reader looks good to hold it in hand (its the lifestyle thing), but the screen quality is so dull and you really dont feel like reading anything on it...its boring. Sony should realise, people who read books love books..reading..etc. When they are switching to a reader..it should be better than a book. I feel Apple can do it, they just have to make a bigger version of iTouch with reader facility.
Posted by: PR | December 22, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Textbook publishers and schools at all levels could really use a standardized platform and eReader that provided high quality renderings of complete textbooks (graphs, pictures, and charts included). It would help the public school system save billions and reverse the rising price of textbooks. Make the reader affordable but useful; include note taking, highlighting, sharing, and wireless services and what you'll have is a game changer in not only education but the entire news media industry.
Posted by: Rich C | March 29, 2009 at 11:40 AM
As newspapers fail across the country, the future of news and publishing may well be electronic. Magazines are closing or being absorbed one into the other. Google is investing heavily in digital scans. The kindle, which is a cheap looking, poorly designed, reader, is selling well. The future is coming closer. I would buy an apple tablet immediately, and I would never download an app to read newspapers (past headlines) on my iphone.
Rich C's comments are also very true. As one who works in academia, the tablet could be transformative in a classroom setting.
I think it's a fantastic idea and am holding off buying any other brand as I wait for the apple ireader.
Posted by: BHC | March 31, 2009 at 08:18 PM
See my new view on an Apple ebook reader on DaniWeb:
Apple eBook Reader Could Change Everything.
http://www.daniweb.com/blogs/entry4341.html
Posted by: Ron Miller | May 14, 2009 at 08:37 AM
Content is content. The ipod has changed the way we buy music and other content and the Touch and Iphone have launched more application sales then any other phone. The iTV is great yet has stiff competition. Book readers are about to lurch into over drive.
Amazon will release their large version this summer, but it will still be monochrome. Sony's reader is elegant but the screen size will be small as the channel develops. Users of these products rave about the them.
If Apple enters into this area it will enter with a hi res color screen , touch capable and wireless. It will function like a itouch on steroids. Applications will be available, books, video, audio, mail and safari.
In the end it will have the form of a Air Book yet be a tablet.
The key pad will be screen based.
Pricing might be a factor. With the amazon product priced close to five hundred prior to release, Apple will be hard pressed to deliver a giant Itouch for less the $850, I think it might actually end up just under 1000$. That's a lot of moola for a reader.
This is were I think the product will thrive, it will be the end all device. Video, audio, screen keyboard all in one. Data will be linked to mobile me and back up will be online. I can see
users choosing a tablet over a laptop.
I still pull my Newton out and power it up from time to time.
The readers on the market today will be like the newton when compared to an apple tablet.
Will there be levels in this, yes, many wallets will not be able to afford an apple tablet, but many will.
Posted by: allan | May 23, 2009 at 08:02 PM