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I truly despise the iOS 16 Apple Books update
- Thread starter xxray
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I’m going to add that the Mac version is still not there either. Most other ebook platforms would let the user determine when and many columns of text they should see. Not so with iBooks. If I read full screen I can only get two columns when the app determines that for me. In a scenario where I want to use two columns on a vertical oriented screen, no dice. Only in the smallest text size. Now if I go out of full screen and leave the window at two thirds of the display size, it works. Do they actually use their own stuff in beta prior to shipping?
Because of the larger libraries and wider device support you mention, I always recommend that others buy books on the Kindle Store.
Having said that, I personally mostly use the Books app because of three things:
- I prefer the experience of reading on Books. It feels more polished, between the rendering of images and fonts, its type options, and page turning. This nicer presentation is particularly evident on kids' picture books, which I read to my kids every night. I also use Kindle Unlimited service through the Kindle App for kids books but that always has issues rendering pages (I'll have to scroll or tap or flip pages to make the content show up). This polish point is exacerbated by point 2.
- Apple's introduced enough friction, through their 30% fee, to make buying on competing app stores annoying on iDevices because they all require purchase through their web page instead of through the app. Small stuff like getting to the end of a book and being able to simply tap another book in the series to purchase it. If the book I want is on the Books store, I'm likely to buy it there. A few years ago when I was reading more on my Kindle Paperwhite this convenience benefit of the store being where I was reading was working against Apple.
- I'm so invested in the Apple ecosystem that I'm probably always going to have Apple devices so I'm not as concerned about not having access on other devices.
Despite having heavily using Apple Books since 2018 - the lack of customization or care by Apple is astounding. Every year (just ONCE a year) I've asked Apple to implement the feature of utilizing full screen margin usage like Kindle does - every year Apple ignores, lol. Now granted I'm nobody so I don't expect Apple to listen but it would be nice to be able to use the full screen space on my devices like every other freaking app does.
I too am heavily invested into the Apple ecosystem. I prefer to keep the $ here if I can. I have a lot of free books in my library that aren't easily transferred to any other service so I'm probably going to be here for the foreseeable future.
Latest iOS/Mac OS/iPad OS app introduced a lot of complexity, clicks, and no real wanted features imo - actually removed some nice features.
And I too find the freaking automatic 2 column thing on Mac OS Books annoying. Why not make this an option?!
I too am heavily invested into the Apple ecosystem. I prefer to keep the $ here if I can. I have a lot of free books in my library that aren't easily transferred to any other service so I'm probably going to be here for the foreseeable future.
Latest iOS/Mac OS/iPad OS app introduced a lot of complexity, clicks, and no real wanted features imo - actually removed some nice features.
And I too find the freaking automatic 2 column thing on Mac OS Books annoying. Why not make this an option?!
Good to know I’m not the only one annoyed by this. Why not just let the user decide how many columns they want? I remember the kindle app on my Mac giving me three columns on a widescreen display, great idea.
Oh, I wasn't joking at all. I wish I hadn't updated my iPad 😓
Amazon is really working hard at trying to get me to go Kindle... Tons of books I want are on sale every month for $2.99 and they have Kindle Rewards - sent to my inbox.
So just to see, I checked Apple's book store and the same books are $2.99. LOL. Glad I did! Here I thought it was Kindle only.
Weird... must be an author/publisher thing?
(I realize this isn't completely on topic but I didn't want to start a new thread).
So just to see, I checked Apple's book store and the same books are $2.99. LOL. Glad I did! Here I thought it was Kindle only.
Weird... must be an author/publisher thing?
(I realize this isn't completely on topic but I didn't want to start a new thread).
Switched to kindle this year. Just go for it, it's much better. Apple clearly doesn't care about book readers, so go to the company that does.
I use it because I trust Apple more with my data and don't feel like keep track of another "store". Page sync between iPhone/iPad/Mac has been a lot better for me lately than it used to be, though I never had TOO much of a problem with that in the past.
In the end, does it really matter though? Don't they all pretty much look the same unless you're reading on e-ink or something? I guess if I couldn't find the book I needed, I'd look over in the Kindle app, but I can't think of a time that's ever happened, even in the early days.
In the end, does it really matter though? Don't they all pretty much look the same unless you're reading on e-ink or something? I guess if I couldn't find the book I needed, I'd look over in the Kindle app, but I can't think of a time that's ever happened, even in the early days.
I'm not a huge fan of Amazon. I have almost 400 books on Apple Books. It would cost a small fortune (one I can't afford at the moment) to move everything to Kindle. There are pluses too. The fact that I can drag/drop a book into the app and it be available on my phone, Mac, and iPad instantly is really nice.
Agreed. It works. IMO Apple Books is best for the iPad or Mac OS. I could never do long reading sessions on the iPhone with Apple Books (but could with the Kindle and the iPhone back in the day).
Side story: my first iPhone was the iPhone 4 and the same year I got it, I found myself in the hospital for an emergency appendectomy. I had to stay over night for a couple days and read an entire Stephen King novel in that little 3.5” screen. 😂😂
May go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway… PROVIDE FEEDBACK at https://www.Apple.com/feedback so that they understand user frustration & preferences.
I am an Apple guy, but I do use Kindle/Audible for my books. But, the Books app should do the things you mentioned smoothly. Feedback can help!
I am an Apple guy, but I do use Kindle/Audible for my books. But, the Books app should do the things you mentioned smoothly. Feedback can help!
Some ppl use plastic spoons to attempt to break out of prison. That doesn’t make them suitable for the task. It's a broken app. I was going to switch away from Kindle, but not in favor of what Books is in its current iteration.
Ok lots of people use books to read books so your plastic spoon analogy doesn’t work. It’s not a broken app, you just don’t like it
Wow nice it is back. I use vertical scrolling to get more text on the screen and keep my gaze near the top lol.
Too bad the margins in the iOS app are horrific. Every release I ask them to use the full screen just like EVERY other app on iOS - someday maybe
Too bad the margins in the iOS app are horrific. Every release I ask them to use the full screen just like EVERY other app on iOS - someday maybe
The return of page-turning animation is enough to make me happy for the moment. It shows that Apple has not fotgotten the Books app and hopefully we will see some good changes to the UI further alone.
But for the moment, thank you Apple.
But for the moment, thank you Apple.