Apple Making Plans to Extend iBookstore Internationally

[MacRumors]

While much has been made of Apple's negotiations with book publishers to bring their content to the company's iBookstore for distribution to the iPad, little news has surfaced about Apple's plans to extend the iBookstore beyond the United States. Since the device's introduction, Apple has noted that the iBookstore will only be available in the U.S. at launch, although it has been presumed that the company is planning to extend the offerings to other countries around the world.

A new Apple job listing posted yesterday confirms just that, with the company looking to hire a manager for its "Asia Pacific & Canada" iBooks division. While the exact geographic coverage for the position is not given, it appears at this time to be primarily focused on Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, with other countries also in the mix.

The role includes: working with management, regionally and in Cupertino to determine strategies and priorities for iBooks in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other countries; identifying content providers to target, establish and develop relationships; working with legal and production teams to finalize relationships and secure content; and coordinate launches with partners, production, and marketing. This role will also be responsible for marketing the books offering on the iBooks store by coordinating with Apple’s production teams, the marketing team, and the production and marketing teams of partners.

The successful employee holding the position will be based in either Markham, Ontario (outside of Toronto) or Sydney, Australia.

Apple is also beefing up its broader iBookstore staffing, with brand-new job postings seeking publisher account managers, including one focused on independent publishers, as well as several operations-side and marketing employees. Apple is presumably also pursuing international deals in countries other than those covered by the "Asia Pacific & Canada" division, although there are no currently open positions listed for such regions.

Article Link: Apple Making Plans to Extend iBookstore Internationally

[doctoree]

lol, of course they are! why shoudln"t they? itunes is pretty international too.

[Erwin-Br]

Originally Posted by doctoree

lol, of course they are! why shoudln"t they? itunes is pretty international too.

Most of Europe is still waiting for movies/tv shows on iTunes, though.

[Akzel]

Well, Brazil still doesn't have MUSIC on iTunes...

Meanwhile, I can buy (in Brazil) any book available at Amazon using a Kindle (over their free 3G network)... If Amazon sells iPad-compatible ebooks, they will rule the brazilian market while Apple 'plans to remember' there are users outside USA/UK...

[macduke]

Maybe we will see a built-in iBooks app with OS 4.0?

[QEII Student IT]

At launch, when iBooks isn't available anywhere but the US, will International customers still be able to find .epub books elsewhere? Or to have the reader, do you have to have the store?

[kernkraft]

iBooks might be American, but Piratebay is European!

Of course, I am not suggesting to do that. I would prefer to pay £15-20 for an ebook that I can get in paperback from the library for free or from Amazon for a few pounds. Anything for Apple! After all, that Delicious Library interface must have cost a fortune! (No, it didn't. Apple used it without licencing or any permission. Apparently, the creators of Delicious Library didn't copyrighted the appearance.)

[*LTD*]

Originally Posted by kernkraft

After all, that Delicious Library interface must have cost a fortune! (No, it didn't. Apple used it without licencing or any permission. Apparently, the creators of Delicious Library didn't copyrighted the appearance.)

Delicious Monster Visual Designer = Mike Matas
Sr Visual Designer at Apple = Mike Matas (left Apple July 2009)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delicious_Monster

Apple owned the designer of Delicious. Apple's implementation doesn't look like Delicious, but rather, is a bookshelf like the other scads of apps that use bookshelf graphics.

Common interface.

http://xander.am0.co.uk/2008/10/classics-iphone-ap ...

http://code.google.com/p/shelves/

http://www.gadgetvenue.com/iphone-c64-emulator-090 ...

http://www.gstsdesigns.com/Educational/SoftTouch/M ...

http://scottrhoades.com/wordpress/?p=146

[Trinity]

iBooks is the only reason for me to buy an iPad. I live in Catalonia so, no iBooks = no iPad.

[barkomatic]

There's something about the simulated bookshelf that makes the iPad a bit sad--another bit of real life made into virtual life. I'm no luddite, but there's something to going to a bookstore and picking a real book off a real shelf.

[btcutter]

I want to see the ability to write in various languages like the iPhone.

I would buy the iPad in a NY second for my father if that ability is available. iPad is PERFECT for him.

[theheadguy]

I thought people don't read anymore?

Originally Posted by Erwin-Br

Most of Europe is still waiting for movies/tv shows on iTunes, though.

Don't worry, it's overrated.

[Eidorian]

Paying for books directly is still a very big stretch for me.

[DeSnousa]

Looking forward to Australia getting the book store. For it to come before Europe would be huge and suggestive that Apple considers Australia as an important market, about time really.

[MacTheSpoon]

I wonder if prices will race to the bottom as with apps, and all the iBooks will become $.99 or free.

[Piggie]

Do you think we will see ever these books on the iPad?


http://www.tvshowsondvd.net/graphics...on_Complet.jpg

[iPhoney:)]

They should wait and see if it succeeds in the US market before they try and conquer international markets, unfortunately the name "iBookstore doesn't quite roll off the tongue very easily, the cheek maybe, but not the tongue!

[baryon]

I thought digital books were called "eBooks" and not "iBooks", aren't iBooks more like old Apple Laptops?

But I hope they make it to Europe, whatever they're called!

[giosaccone]

Originally Posted by Trinity

iBooks is the only reason for me to buy an iPad. I live in Catalonia so, no iBooks = no iPad.

For me it's the same situation: I live in Italy, and no iBook store = no iPad!

But In Apple I (and we) trust!

[JeffDM]

Regarding the article: duh! I think people would have to be stupid to think that iBookstore wasn't going to be available in other countries eventually. It was just a matter of when, hopefully sooner rather than later.

Originally Posted by Akzel

Well, Brazil still doesn't have MUSIC on iTunes...

Meanwhile, I can buy (in Brazil) any book available at Amazon using a Kindle (over their free 3G network)... If Amazon sells iPad-compatible ebooks, they will rule the brazilian market while Apple 'plans to remember' there are users outside USA/UK...

I wonder if it's Apple's fault though. The print industry might not be as difficult to deal with as the music and movie industries, may be a lot fewer rights entanglements.

Originally Posted by theheadguy

I thought people don't read anymore?

Basically, Steve was making a diversion, using carefully chosen statistics to distract people from the reality. When he made that statement, print was bigger than movies and music industries combined.

[chrisk1250]

Books on the iPad seem great, but what i'm really interested in is magazines.

Of course, Apple has been in talks with different publications to bring their content to the iPad, but what will be the distribution medium?

Will it be in the form of an app (similar to the current GQ) or do you all think it will be through something similar to iBooks? I would really want mine to be very centralized (like iBooks), as I do not want to download a separate app each time a new issue comes out.

Thoughts?

[Elzlaik]

When Apple launches iBooks Canada there are 10 books I will buy immediately. I've been waiting to update my collection of favourite books to digital, this seems as good a time as any.

[Bonte]

I hate this, do i wait for the international version or develop my own comic-book app. Some timing roadmap would be nice.

[distortedloop]

Originally Posted by barkomatic

There's something about the simulated bookshelf that makes the iPad a bit sad--another bit of real life made into virtual life. I'm no luddite, but there's something to going to a bookstore and picking a real book off a real shelf.

Yeah, I agree.

I never buy real books anymore, but I still like to hit a bookstore and browse what's out there. Strange.

I've had a $40 gift card to Barnes & Noble for 5 years now, and I can't find anything to spend it on, and no friends want it.

[MacRumorUser]

Originally Posted by doctoree

lol, of course they are! why shoudln"t they? itunes is pretty international too.

And it took 14-24 months after the US launch for it to migrate internationally.

Originally Posted by Erwin-Br

Most of Europe is still waiting for movies/tv shows on iTunes, though.

Exactly. Apple need to get the book store sort licencing for this ASAP, however given the length of time it taking with movies / tv programmes I wouldn't hold me breath.

Originally Posted by baryon

I thought digital books were called "eBooks" and not "iBooks", aren't iBooks more like old Apple Laptops?

But I hope they make it to Europe, whatever they're called!

iBooks is the application. iBookstore is the shop within iBooks.
The books are e-book format.

Originally Posted by JeffDM

Regarding the article: duh! I think people would have to be stupid to think that iBookstore wasn't going to be available in other countries eventually. It was just a matter of when, hopefully sooner rather than later.

I wonder if it's Apple's fault though. The print industry might not be as difficult to deal with as the music and movie industries, may be a lot fewer rights entanglements.

Basically, Steve was making a diversion, using carefully chosen statistics to distract people from the reality. When he made that statement, print was bigger than movies and music industries combined.

Yes it is Apple's fault. Simple as.

There is already a precident set for books & licencing them for sale internationally. Amazon are doing it very successfully.

If Apple take too much time negotiating internationally, and if we are to take Apple's handling of the rollout timeline of iTunes & the still missing content years later - I do not hold too much confidence that they will role out iBooks with any haste.

Then it simply hands the opportunity back to Amazon to role out it's existing Kindle Application with undoubatably enhance iPad interface and bells + whistles - and destroy any need for iBooks internationally at all.

If many of us in Europe can already download and pay for Books via amazon/kindle app then I doubt those wanting an ipad for ebooks are going to sit around waiting indefinetly (like movie & tv content) for iBooks to launch when another application is doing the same job now.