Is the publishing world ready for enhanced eBooks on tablet computers? How about an iTunes-esque marketplace for books? The industry buzzed with Apple Tablet rumors all day.
Publishers Marketplace broke the news (subscription only): “Apple, whose representatives are in New York for meetings this week, is acknowledged by participants as currently negotiating with nearly all (and most likely all) of the six largest trade publishers, though those negotiations were supposed to be confidential.” The Big Money has more on the negotiations, exploring the Publishers Marketplace scoop in more depth–including the possibility of selling enhanced eBooks–just like iTunes did with special LP MP3s.
Our sibling blog eBookNewser took a critical look at this news, writing: “Remember Apple recently made a similar move with music, introducing the iTunes LP format with the release of iTunes 9 in September. The LP format is a version of the downloadable album with extra content–videos, interviews, online stuff. While the format got rave reviews from bloggers, it’s hardly become the new standard, and the same thing is likely to happen with enhanced eBooks.”