Google Editions To Launch In U.S. This Year

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Google “is in the final stages of launching its long-awaited e-book retailing venture Google Editions.”

Google said earlier this year that Google Editions would launch by the end of summer, but has since been delayed. The WSJ piece attributes the delay to technical and legal hurdles. Scott Dougall, a Google product management director told the WSJ that it is now set to launch in the U.S. by the end of the year and internationally in the first quarter of next year.

The WSJ has more: “In recent weeks, independent booksellers, which are expected to play a big role in Google Editions, began receiving contracts from their trade group.