Google To Launch Online E-book Store
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Google has always had its eyes on the digital book industry. The company started scanning books quite a while ago (for Google Books). It was only a matter of time before Google got its act together and got serious about its e-book business. Google Editions, which is expected to launch soon, will enable Google to effectively compete with Amazon and other online e-book stores. Unlike Amazon’s business model, Google Editions is platform agnostic. The books that one purchases from this store can be viewed on any device that is connected to the Internet.
The idea of cloud books is very much different from what people have gotten used to on Amazon Kindle and Apple iPad. It could turn some people off. At the same time, Google’s open ecosystem means people can finally dump proprietary books for Google’s cloud-based books. Google Editions should help the “small guys” in the publishing business as well. So B&N and Amazon will have some competition there.
The jury is still out on whether Google Editions can be a huge success. The business model is very different than the ones used by top e-book stores today. Besides, will Google books offer the same experience as regular e-books (which you can bookmark and do all kinds of things to)? More importantly, how will Google deal with authors and larger publishers? Amazon has had its trials and tribulations when dealing these parties. It certainly would not be a walk in the park for Google to keep everyone happy.
I am not sold on the idea of cloud-based books. Unless the prices are dropped dramatically, I’d rather have the ability to download my e-books (preferably in an open format). Moreover, will Apple or Amazon make it easy for everyone to access Google Editions on iPad or Kindle? Let’s hope Google gets it right.
Your take: how would you like the idea of cloud books?
