Amazon introduces iPhone-optimized Kindle book store

***AppleInsider*** · 05-11-2009, 01:26 PM

Responding to popular request, Amazon on Monday announced a version of its Kindle electronic book store formatted specifically for Apple's multi-touch devices and designed to supplement the recently released Kindle for iPhone application.

This optimized Kindle store offers both iPhone and iPod touch users easier access to browse and download from Amazon's library of more than 280,000 Kindle formatted books.

"Now when users of the Kindle for iPhone app click on 'Get Books,' the new Kindle Store tailored for the size and shape of the iPhone and iPod touch screens automatically opens in Safari," the retailer said.

Released March 4th, the Kindle for iPhone application quickly became the most popular books application on Apple's App Store. It ties into Amazon's 3G Whispersync technology, which saves and synchronizes Kindle customers’ bookmarks across Kindles, iPhones and iPod touches, so users never lose their place. For instance, users can read a few pages on their iPhone or iPod touch and pick up right where they left off on their Kindle device, or vise versa.

"The response to Kindle for iPhone has been tremendous," said Ian Freed, vice president, Amazon Kindle. "The most common feedback we heard from customers was that they wanted a better experience for purchasing new Kindle books from their iPhones."

The iPhone optimized Kindle store is the latest in a string of Kindle-related announcements from Amazon geared towards building electronic books into a more material piece of its business. Last week, the retailer introduced the latest member of its Kindle family of devices: a big-screen DX model suited for more natural display of textbooks, magazines and newspapers.

Amazon in recent weeks also scooped up the developer of Stanza, a popular iPhone application that provides users with 24-hour access to a catalog of over 100,000 eBooks in the open ePub format, an eBook container not supported by its Kindle devices.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

Napoleon_PhoneApart · 05-11-2009, 01:34 PM

Optomized?

Heheh...

EDIT: They corrected it.

Ronbo · 05-11-2009, 02:10 PM

I wish the Kindle store was easier to browse. It was be nice to browse by author and just get a long list of names (in a given genre). The way it works now at Amazon, you select a genre, and then a sorting criteria (by rating, for instance), and then you get drip-fed a very short list, then you click next to get another very short list. I've been sometimes frustrated with the iTMS browsing feature (because I used to be able to go to audiobooks, pick a genre, and say "all" to see all the books... there's too many now). But it's so much better than Amazon's Kindle store.

**melgross** · 05-11-2009, 02:22 PM

I think they understand very well that a large number of their book buyers will be from Apple products. Perhaps the majority will be from Apple's products.

ulfoaf · 05-11-2009, 02:45 PM

I've only read one book on Kindle for Iphone so far: iWoz, by Steve Wozniak. Good insight to the early years of Apple. Kind of inspirational for engineers! He basically says don't let a committee mess up your good ideas!

It was a good experience. Less money than a printed version, no dragging a book with you - it's always there. I'll do it again. I've also used the free bookreader for iPhone. Very good if you can find something you are interested in.

ouragan · 05-11-2009, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Amazon in recent weeks also scooped up the developer of Stanza, a popular iPhone application that provides users with 24-hour access to a catalog of over 100,000 eBooks in the open ePub format, an eBook container not supported by its Kindle devices.

Let's hope that, going forward, Amazon will support the ePub format in addition to its proprietary formats.

tpf1952 · 05-11-2009, 03:05 PM

Amazon/Kindle's library is vast, but ereader.com's iPhone software is more elegant and adaptable. Hope Kindle's work on their iPhone reader continues to under its own "optimization."

jumper · 05-11-2009, 04:12 PM

Not sure why Amazon would want to waste the time on a project like this. Maybe they are getting things ready for when Apple announces it's reader device. Except for the few 'iphone can do anything' people no one would really think of reading a book on the iphone/ipod devices. I tried and gave up after a few pages. Sony is close with a with their ereader device but they screwed up the screen on the 700 and lack the network feature thet makes the Kindle so nice. I'm hoping that Apple will come out it with a 8" - 9" ereader with touch screen and network.

Virgil-TB2 · 05-11-2009, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Napoleon_PhoneApart

Optomized?

Heheh...

EDIT: They corrected it.

Just to be picky ...

Still wrong.
Should be "optimised" (in the original English.)

DimMok · 05-11-2009, 04:18 PM

Man today is a slow apple news day, aint it?

Can wait to see the spy shots for the next Iphone....and the new tablet.

**melgross** · 05-11-2009, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jumper

Not sure why Amazon would want to waste the time on a project like this. Maybe they are getting things ready for when Apple announces it's reader device. Except for the few 'iphone can do anything' people no one would really think of reading a book on the iphone/ipod devices. I tried and gave up after a few pages. Sony is close with a with their ereader device but they screwed up the screen on the 700 and lack the network feature thet makes the Kindle so nice. I'm hoping that Apple will come out it with a 8" - 9" ereader with touch screen and network.

I've already bought four books through my Kindle app for my iPhone. I imagine others have bought some as well. Bezos is pretty damned smart. He sees all the Apple devices out there. He wants to sell books, magazines, subscriptions. He's not going to want to limit that to the few Kindles sold, and likely to sell. Apple's market is far larger that that. Why not get a piece of it?

It's already been shown in several articles about this that owners of the iPhone/iTouch have bought many more books than Amazon and Sony combined have sold for their readers. He would be a fool, something he's not, to lose sight of that.

city · 05-11-2009, 05:29 PM

I am looking forward to using Kindle on the new 6.5" x 6.5" ipod touch square.

lightstriker · 05-11-2009, 07:44 PM

This app will out sell the kindle by a 100.

teckstud · 05-12-2009, 10:13 AM

IMHO this is one of the truly great Apps. While not a total substitute for a full page, this App is great to read on the fly- subway. waiting, etc. Love it- great job to both Apple and Amazon. Been reading the Joe Torre book and it's been a pleasure for quick bits to read.

adambravo · 05-12-2009, 12:29 PM

...but when I click on the 'optimized Kindle store' link in the article--on my iPhone--I get the standard, fullblown Kindle store site.
http://forums.appleinsider.com/image...es/1bugeye.gif

teckstud · 05-12-2009, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adambravo

...but when I click on the 'optimized Kindle store' link in the article--on my iPhone--I get the standard, fullblown Kindle store site.
http://forums.appleinsider.com/image...es/1bugeye.gif

In the Kindle App itself -click the "get books" on the upper right- takes you right there.

05-11-2009, 01:26 PM	#1
*AppleInsider* Kasper's Automated Slave Join Date: Nov 1997 Posts: 6,151	Amazon introduces iPhone-optimized Kindle book store Responding to popular request, Amazon on Monday announced a version of its Kindle electronic book store formatted specifically for Apple's multi-touch devices and designed to supplement the recently released Kindle for iPhone application. This optimized Kindle store offers both iPhone and iPod touch users easier access to browse and download from Amazon's library of more than 280,000 Kindle formatted books. "Now when users of the Kindle for iPhone app click on 'Get Books,' the new Kindle Store tailored for the size and shape of the iPhone and iPod touch screens automatically opens in Safari," the retailer said. Released March 4th, the Kindle for iPhone application quickly became the most popular books application on Apple's App Store. It ties into Amazon's 3G Whispersync technology, which saves and synchronizes Kindle customers’ bookmarks across Kindles, iPhones and iPod touches, so users never lose their place. For instance, users can read a few pages on their iPhone or iPod touch and pick up right where they left off on their Kindle device, or vise versa. "The response to Kindle for iPhone has been tremendous," said Ian Freed, vice president, Amazon Kindle. "The most common feedback we heard from customers was that they wanted a better experience for purchasing new Kindle books from their iPhones." The iPhone optimized Kindle store is the latest in a string of Kindle-related announcements from Amazon geared towards building electronic books into a more material piece of its business. Last week, the retailer introduced the latest member of its Kindle family of devices: a big-screen DX model suited for more natural display of textbooks, magazines and newspapers. Amazon in recent weeks also scooped up the developer of Stanza, a popular iPhone application that provides users with 24-hour access to a catalog of over 100,000 eBooks in the open ePub format, an eBook container not supported by its Kindle devices. [ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

05-11-2009, 01:34 PM	#2
Napoleon_PhoneApart Registered User Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 52	Optomized? Heheh... EDIT: They corrected it. Last edited by Napoleon_PhoneApart; 05-11-2009 at 01:55 PM..

05-11-2009, 02:45 PM	#5
ulfoaf Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 104	So far so good I've only read one book on Kindle for Iphone so far: iWoz, by Steve Wozniak. Good insight to the early years of Apple. Kind of inspirational for engineers! He basically says don't let a committee mess up your good ideas! It was a good experience. Less money than a printed version, no dragging a book with you - it's always there. I'll do it again. I've also used the free bookreader for iPhone. Very good if you can find something you are interested in.

05-11-2009, 03:05 PM	#7
tpf1952 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 13	Great resource, hope for better software Amazon/Kindle's library is vast, but ereader.com's iPhone software is more elegant and adaptable. Hope Kindle's work on their iPhone reader continues to under its own "optimization."

05-11-2009, 04:12 PM	#8
jumper Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 2	Waiting for Apples eReader device Not sure why Amazon would want to waste the time on a project like this. Maybe they are getting things ready for when Apple announces it's reader device. Except for the few 'iphone can do anything' people no one would really think of reading a book on the iphone/ipod devices. I tried and gave up after a few pages. Sony is close with a with their ereader device but they screwed up the screen on the 700 and lack the network feature thet makes the Kindle so nice. I'm hoping that Apple will come out it with a 8" - 9" ereader with touch screen and network.

05-11-2009, 02:10 PM	#3
Ronbo Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 255	I wish the Kindle store was easier to browse. It was be nice to browse by author and just get a long list of names (in a given genre). The way it works now at Amazon, you select a genre, and then a sorting criteria (by rating, for instance), and then you get drip-fed a very short list, then you click next to get another very short list. I've been sometimes frustrated with the iTMS browsing feature (because I used to be able to go to audiobooks, pick a genre, and say "all" to see all the books... there's too many now). But it's so much better than Amazon's Kindle store.

05-11-2009, 02:22 PM	#4
melgross Global Moderator Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: NYC Posts: 19,612	I think they understand very well that a large number of their book buyers will be from Apple products. Perhaps the majority will be from Apple's products.

05-11-2009, 04:18 PM	#10
DimMok Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 170	Man today is a slow apple news day, aint it? Can wait to see the spy shots for the next Iphone....and the new tablet.

05-11-2009, 05:29 PM	#12
city Registered User Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bushie'sland Posts: 302	I am looking forward to using Kindle on the new 6.5" x 6.5" ipod touch square. Cubist

05-11-2009, 07:44 PM	#13
lightstriker Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 171	This app will out sell the kindle by a 100.

05-12-2009, 10:13 AM	#14
teckstud Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 6,115	IMHO this is one of the truly great Apps. While not a total substitute for a full page, this App is great to read on the fly- subway. waiting, etc. Love it- great job to both Apple and Amazon. Been reading the Joe Torre book and it's been a pleasure for quick bits to read. Once you go Mac, you never go back! Last edited by teckstud; 05-12-2009 at 10:20 AM..

05-12-2009, 12:29 PM	#15
adambravo Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 1	Perhaps I'm missing something... ...but when I click on the 'optimized Kindle store' link in the article--on my iPhone--I get the standard, fullblown Kindle store site. http://forums.appleinsider.com/image...es/1bugeye.gif

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