Appl iTablet - The Great Color Ebook

Is Apple’s iTablet a game changer for Publishers? The launch of the much anticipated iTablet is due for release in March/April 2010. It’s been suggested the Tablet will have a host of cool features including a camera at the back so the Tablet operates like a window. But what impact will it have on the publishing world?

Firstly, like all Apple devices, it’s full color allowing magazine publishers the opportunity to expand the market for paid content. Book publishers who have plenty of titles which include color pictures will now have a device that will enhance their offering. It also provides scope for publishers to treat their books more like media content by adding media rich content like audio and video within a publication. Publisher of children’s picture books can now enter the market and offer their titles on a platform that will certainly enhance the experience for both adults and young users.

Above all, Apple already have in place an elegant delivery system with their iTunes store. Enter your details once and simply click to buy content. With an expanded book store with royalty rates that benefits publishers and authors, Apple may well have all the elements in place to offer consumer the opportunity to make micro payments for specific chapters rather than purchasing the entire book. This model will appeal to the education sector who are always looking for the latest reference information and if that can be supported by enriched media, the purchase of an chapter could signal a change in behavior of both the consumer and the publisher.

What is certain is that children growing up today will experience a whole new way of accessing information. The Internet will never be far away and media rich content is likely to be a standard offering. How long before everyone on the planet has a device on which they can buy a book? Isn’t this one way to reduce climate change and save the planet? I bet there’s an ebook for that – in full color.