Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,547
30,863



105037-ibooks_winnie_the_pooh.jpg


Earlier today, Apple announced the launch of the iPad in nine new countries later this month: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK. As noted by iLounge, Apple is also rolling out its iBooks iPad application and associated iBookstore in many of these countries at launch.

Apple's country-specific press releases for Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Spain, and the UK all indicate availability of the iBooks app and the iBookstore on May 28th. Apple has yet to post press releases for France, Germany, and Switzerland, however, and thus iBooks availability for those countries has not yet been confirmed.

The iBookstore was announced as a U.S.-only feature during the iPad's introduction in late January, although evidence soon surfaced that Apple was making plans to extend it internationally. Apple also announced last month that it will be bringing iBooks and the iBookstore to the iPhone and iPod touch with iPhone OS 4 later this year.

Article Link: Apple to Begin International Roll Out of iBooks and iBookstore Alongside iPad Launch
 

law guy

macrumors 6502a
Jan 17, 2003
997
0
Western Massachusetts
That screen shot of Winnie the Pooh is really neat. It captures the potential for this as a reader in a more compelling way than I've seen to date. I don't think that it displaces books for me at least, but it is a simple powerful presentation to use the animated book.
 

HiRez

macrumors 603
Jan 6, 2004
6,250
2,576
Western US
I'd like to know how fast iBooks content is ramping up compared to Amazon (they only had about 60K books at launch) and why there's still a lot of big books missing from it, for example George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series.
 

ZombiePete

macrumors 68020
Aug 6, 2008
2,319
1,064
San Antonio, TX
I love reading on the iBooks app, but they really need to expand their library of older books if they want me to keep buying from the iBooks store. I had been reading the Tawny Man series on my nook and wanted to finish it up but found a very limited selection from Robin Hobb available in iBooks. I bought Desperation from Stephen King instead but am going to want to finish the other series soon.
 

HiRez

macrumors 603
Jan 6, 2004
6,250
2,576
Western US
Also, when is iBooks coming to iPhone? Since it's not a core OS app, I don't see why it would have to wait for OS 4.
 

baryon

macrumors 68040
Oct 3, 2009
3,878
2,929
So the rest of us will just have to wait until 2011 I guess!
 

mich8261

macrumors member
Oct 16, 2007
49
22
cross border purchases?

does anybody know if it will be possible to purchase books in another country's ibookstore? I'd love to be able to purchase books which may only be available in the Canadian or French ibookstore. I hope there aren't the same industry territorial restrictions that apply to music and video content in iTunes.
 

ditzy

macrumors 68000
Sep 28, 2007
1,719
180
I'm pleasantly surprised. I can't wait to check out the iBook store.
 

Gaijin de Moscu

macrumors regular
Sep 25, 2006
111
0
Geneva
does anybody know if it will be possible to purchase books in another country's ibookstore? I'd love to be able to purchase books which may only be available in the Canadian or French ibookstore. I hope there aren't the same industry territorial restrictions that apply to music and video content in iTunes.

Yes, it's possible. Through either local credit cards or gift vouchers (from trusted sources only), I purchase contents from the US, Japan, Switzerland and Russian iTunes stores.

But my case may be unique, as I have legitimate addresses in all four countries...
 

Gaijin de Moscu

macrumors regular
Sep 25, 2006
111
0
Geneva
That screen shot of Winnie the Pooh is really neat. It captures the potential for this as a reader in a more compelling way than I've seen to date. I don't think that it displaces books for me at least, but it is a simple powerful presentation to use the animated book.

I agree, it's an enticing screenie.

For me, the e-store convenience has already started displacing paper books.
 

wolfshades

macrumors 6502
Nov 1, 2007
485
625
Toronto, Ontario Canada
does anybody know if it will be possible to purchase books in another country's ibookstore? I'd love to be able to purchase books which may only be available in the Canadian or French ibookstore. I hope there aren't the same industry territorial restrictions that apply to music and video content in iTunes.

The answer is "no". Having said that, there are always ways to get around the restrictions. I have a Sony PRS600 eReader and can't tell you the number of times I've been frustrated in trying to buy an ebook from the online store, despite the fact that the physical book has been available in local bookstores.
 

ValSalva

macrumors 68040
Jun 26, 2009
3,783
259
Burpelson AFB
We have until the end of the month to prepare. Better go to the gym now and workout those biceps and shoulders so you can hold up that iPad :D
 

Rooey

macrumors member
Apr 7, 2004
39
1
dissapointed.

I've had a LOT of apple iStuff... from the day I bought my first iBook through to the mac mini server I bought myself to play with, the Apple TV and the god-awful 27" iMac... The iPod, Touch and Phone... I've had the over-heating macbook air, the "i'm turning myself off" G4 cube... hell I would have probably bought a bloody newton. I love my iStuff.

Suffice to say, few have been more excited than me about the iPad's ultimate arrival in the UK... but at £429 for the low-end model (in todays money that's 629 USD) and a quite frankly AWFUL data plan from Orange for the 3G model... I think i'm actually going to pass. (and I really can't believe i'm saying that to myself).

I suspect it will probably be cheaper to buy a unit in the US and pay the import duty.

Bad Steve!
</rant>
 

djrod

macrumors 65816
Sep 16, 2008
1,012
33
Madrid - Spain
I've had a LOT of apple iStuff... from the day I bought my first iBook through to the mac mini server I bought myself to play with, the Apple TV and the god-awful 27" iMac... The iPod, Touch and Phone... I've had the over-heating macbook air, the "i'm turning myself off" G4 cube... hell I would have probably bought a bloody newton. I love my iStuff.

Suffice to say, few have been more excited than me about the iPad's ultimate arrival in the UK... but at £429 for the low-end model (in todays money that's 629 USD) and a quite frankly AWFUL data plan from Orange for the 3G model... I think i'm actually going to pass. (and I really can't believe i'm saying that to myself).

I suspect it will probably be cheaper to buy a unit in the US and pay the import duty.

Bad Steve!
</rant>

Here in Spain the 16GB wifi model is 479€ = 609 USD but...

479 with 16% tax = 402.36€ with no taxes = 511.222 USD

So it's really only 12USD more expensive...

What about UK?

Ipad Wifi 16gb UK 429 pounds = 634.444 USD

Ipad wifi 16GB UK with no taxes (19%) = 347,49 pounds = 513.779 USD

In the UK is only 15USD more expensive

Blame the taxes, not Apple :p


About importing...in Spain:

Ipad Wifi 16GB = 391euro + 16% tax + 20% customs = 544euro + shipping... that's around 600 euro!
 

Duncan-UK

macrumors 6502a
Sep 17, 2006
633
1,214
Here in Spain the 16GB wifi model is 479€ = 609 USD but...

479 with 16% tax = 402.36€ with no taxes = 511.222 USD

So it's really only 12USD more expensive...

What about UK?

Ipad Wifi 16gb UK 429 pounds = 634.444 USD

Ipad wifi 16GB UK with no taxes (19%) = 347,49 pounds = 513.779 USD

In the UK is only 15USD more expensive

Blame the taxes, not Apple :p


About importing...in Spain:

Ipad Wifi 16GB = 391euro + 16% tax + 20% customs = 544euro + shipping... that's around 600 euro!

UK VAT is 17.5% (for the moment)
 

flottenheimer

macrumors 68000
Jan 8, 2008
1,530
651
Up north
...Suffice to say, few have been more excited than me about the iPad's ultimate arrival in the UK... but at £429 for the low-end model (in todays money that's 629 USD) and a quite frankly AWFUL data plan from Orange for the 3G model... I think i'm actually going to pass. (and I really can't believe i'm saying that to myself).

I suspect it will probably be cheaper to buy a unit in the US and pay the import duty.

Or find a friend or colleague of yours who's going on a trip to New York... That's what I did. US prices are awsome.
 

flottenheimer

macrumors 68000
Jan 8, 2008
1,530
651
Up north
Regional restrictions are ridiculous. That goes for movies, tv-shows, clothes, software, books -whatever. The world, the marketplace has become truly global.

I'm sittin' here in Denmark with my lovely iPad. I'm ready to buy some books. Unfortunately, "The iBooks application is not available for download in this region". If you buy an AppleTV in Denmark (and a lot of other countries), you can't rent movies for it. You simply can't rent or buy movies through iTunes...

As a consumer, I'm not allowed to pay for some stuff that I'd like to pay for. Now, who has a real interest in this?

Putting an end to regional restrictions should be Steves next big battle! The current "logic" is ridiculous.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.