Book publishers, facing decline in book sales, are starting on-line digital publisher; hoping to spurn new income revenue in declining book sales. Two books publishers, Penguin and Random House, announced today that the two companies will make books available for download to be read on Apple’s iPhone.
“Penguin Group (USA) has started Penguin 2.0, which includes Penguin Personalized, a way for customers to add personal dedication pages to digital books, and Penguin Mobile, which enables readers to receive text on Apple Inc.’s iPhones and other mobile devices”, the Associated Press article said. “Also Monday, the Random House Publishing Group said it would make some books available for free on the iPhone, including works by Alan Furstand Arthur Phillips. The text can be downloaded through Lexcycle’s Stanza reader.”
Other book publishers are moving into the digital books as well. One thing you won’t see in these stores is textbooks.
My question is why are releasing books on the iPhone and not on e-readers like Sony and Amazon? The screen sizes are bigger and the battery life is better than the iPhone. Of course the books will be protected with DRM restrictions.