Google is planning on entering the eBook market by launching its own download service for digital texts, just like Amazon’s Kindle Store.
Google has been dabbling with eBooks before: it’s already making digital scans of millions of books, and made the public domain texts available on the Kindle rival Sony Reader, and the iPhone. But now Google is getting in on the retail eBook market, and planning to sell top new titles online.
According to the New York Times, Google will allow publishers to sell their books as digital downloads directly through Google. The crucial difference will be that Google will allow publishers to set the prices.
Kindle DX: all the official photos
Currently Amazon sells best sellers for $9.99 – this could mean higher charges closer to hardback over prices sadly, but might at least allow book publishers to turn a profit. And digital books sold via Google would work on any internet capable device, from PCs to e-readers and mobiles, so you won’t have to be locked in to buying a Kindle.
There’s no word yet as to when a Google book store will launch, or whether it’ll make it over to the UK, but we’ll bounce back with more details as soon as we’ve dusted them off.
Out TBC | £TBC | Google (Via The New York Times)
