In unveiling its new iBook application and iBookstore for the iPad, Apple highlighted a number of publishers with which it has content agreements. But those deals, for now, are U.S.-only, and one glaring omission stood out from the list: McGraw-Hill.
Apple has begun launching international Web sites to promote the iPad, and the Australian page comes with a small footnote that reads: "iBooks available in the U.S. only."
Before Apple can make iBooks available in any country, it has to have books to sell. To do so, it has to make deals with the respective publishers in the respective country.
For example,
Quote:
Penguin Group (Canada) distributes many titles from the Penguin Group, including Penguin Group (USA) and Penguin Books Ltd. (UK). We can grant permissions only on titles that are part of our domestic publishing program, i.e., that are published under the following imprints: Viking Canada, Penguin Canada, Puffin Canada, and Hamish Hamilton Canada. The easiest way to tell whether a book is published by Penguin Group (Canada) is to look for our imprint logos on the inside title page, or at the bottom corner of the back jacket flap. If the book is not published by Penguin Group (Canada), you must contact the appropriate [country] Penguin office for permission.
Apple just can't make a deal with a publisher in the US and unilaterally provide it in another country without 'permission'. Like the music industry, each country has their own copyright, domestic/international rights, royalty splits, etc., laws and regulations for consideration. In addition, there is the issue of sales/payments that each respective local publisher in which each independent country would demand participation.
Hey TS ...I would say welcome back ... except my heart wouldn't be in it. Also, judging from your posts under your "new" name, it seems your tagline is wrong ... instead of new and improved it should read ... old and same old.
Hey TS ...I would say welcome back ... except my heart wouldn't be in it. Also, judging from your posts under your "new" name, it seems your tagline is wrong ... instead of new and improved it should read ... old and same old.
Hey TS ...I would say welcome back ... except my heart wouldn't be in it. Also, judging from your posts under your "new" name, it seems your tagline is wrong ... instead of new and improved it should read ... old and same old.
You must be all upset cause I used the word "new". \
i think the reason for no McGraw/Hill is basically because MH didn't buy into the iPad concept at launch. I think that guy was trying to toot his proverbial horn even though his company hadn't yet adopted the business model. Perhaps because they wanted to see the reaction to the iPad before spending the time and money into it. I'm guessing more publishers will come after the iPad goes on said and we start to see real numbers. Kind of like the Kindle.
The real questions we should ask here are:
1. will iBooks be available to the rest of the world anytime soon?
2. Will iBooks App be available for download on the iPhone/Touch?
3. What will they cost? We've heard rumor that they will be between $12-$15 each. Amazon sells for around $9.99 and less.
4. Will other e-book formats be supported on the iPad?
Amazon already has a really strong lead on Apple. If they want to start competing, they need an edge that Amazon doesn't. Amazon already has an App for the kindle on the iPhone and Touch. So i'd safely say the Kindle Store is up +2 already.
There are a lot of open source ibookse.g. Gutenberg project. Also many librairies aoffer downloadable ebooks some of which will run on ipod and many of which run on PCs. These are free but only allow 3-4 weeks use. Some libraries alos offer audio books for free. Question is "compatibility". I would prefer this route as I seldom buy books. Mostly get them form the library. Also I have the 2200 short story app to read on the bus. Mostly classics that I never read as a youth and a good source fo reading for your kids.
i think the reason for no McGraw/Hill is basically because MH didn't buy into the iPad concept at launch. I think that guy was trying to toot his proverbial horn even though his company hadn't yet adopted the business model. Perhaps because they wanted to see the reaction to the iPad before spending the time and money into it. I'm guessing more publishers will come after the iPad goes on said and we start to see real numbers. Kind of like the Kindle.
The real questions we should ask here are:
1. will iBooks be available to the rest of the world anytime soon?
2. Will iBooks App be available for download on the iPhone/Touch?
3. What will they cost? We've heard rumor that they will be between $12-$15 each. Amazon sells for around $9.99 and less.
4. Will other e-book formats be supported on the iPad?
Amazon already has a really strong lead on Apple. If they want to start competing, they need an edge that Amazon doesn't. Amazon already has an App for the kindle on the iPhone and Touch. So i'd safely say the Kindle Store is up +2 already.
It's entirely possible that they are way behind on negotiations with the neccessary parties in other countries, because they rushed to secure US availability for a spring launch and/or wanted to keep the project a bit more secret (fail). I'm guessing the former.
So Random House is really the missing piece of the puzzle.
Indeed. Puts the lack of McGraw Hill into perspective. They probably weren't mentioned because they are not that big.
No. That list (Holtzbrinck is Apple's 5th * because Holtzbrinck owns Macmillan) is only for sales thru retail booksellers. It does not include textbooks. Which, along with reference books, is all McGraw-Hill publishes.
No. That list (Holtzbrinck is Apple's 5th * because Holtzbrinck owns MacMillen) is only for sales thru retail booksellers. It does not include textbooks. Which, along with reference books, is all McGraw-Hill publishes.
And Apple is responsible for that hype... how? And why would Apple be responsible for fulfilling techie wet dreams that had no basis in reality?
Even after the iPhone reveal, AAPL jumped 10 during the presentation and fell off right after.
This is normal AAPL behavior (to a large degree manipulated) and says nothing about acceptance or rejection of the iPad.
You can blame sites like AI and Wallstreet Journal, Times, Engadget, and practically everyone else who writes on technology for that. The blogeratti had what they envisioned the product to be, every analyst who was thinking this device was the second coming of the ten commandments and that VZW would be getting the iPhone (this will leak well before it happens TRUST ME, VZW cant keep anything secret).
Most stockholders could have easily been underwhelmed by the showing, considering what the media was spouting off (99% was rehash and in the dark guessing) the device could do and what Apple would be announcing. There is no way they would be immune to it, it was everywhere.
Its not Apples fault, but the lofty expectations from the iPhone platform had set the standard for this device.
McGraw-Hill CEO Terry McGraw was touting the MHP stock price when asked the question of the Ipad product. Since most money comes from the financial side of the house, the education market has a longer timeline to get their profit$$$$.
Not having MHP there is not a snub but more a "wait and see" approach of where the Ipad fits in its business model. I think if the Ipad becomes a more enterprise worthy hardware that being a good citizen, it will be a better impacting device than just adding an IPhone to these environments.
If MS Office (Mactopia) makes a "lite" version of the 2010 product, this will be the game-changer to bring this prosumer hardware to the Fortune 500 worlds.
This REALLY sucks. I was all for the iPad before they decided that the UK doesn't want to read. Nutters.
I bet they'll use the excuse that "the UK market isn't ready yet" which is rubbish. It's they who aren't ready.
Oh for heaven's sake, it's the problem of having to negotiate non-US rights to books, not any lack of faith in the British reader. It's a problem for all US-based ebook stores and Apple is no different. Amazon's Kindle store has only just recently become available outside the US and Canada, and many books are still not available to non-US/Canada residents. Same with every other ebook store from B&N to Fictionwise.
It was months and months after the iTunes music store opened in the US before it became available in the UK, Australia and other places, and there's still quite a bit of content that's not available in all places at the same time. It's going to take a long time to get the iBook store available outside the USA/Canada axis, probably 6-12 months of lawyers, agents and endless negotiations. Heck, the print industry is worse than music and films because it's older and more fragmented and depends on more creators than they do, and they all have their own agents!
Music, film and print publishing are not exactly into the whole internet vibe of borderless selling and digital downloads in case you haven't noticed! These 19th and 20th century industries still cling to all sorts of weird and arcane rules and geographic separation of rights which unfortunately can't simply be swept away by the Jobs reality distortion field. sadly it's going to take a while, but I'm sure they'll get there in the end.
US only is ridiculous! you have the app store everywhere, how is an e-book store different?
That's the wrong comparison. It's more correct to compare with the iTMS. There's a lot of pain in the butt negotiations and horse-wrangling that has to go on. They're making an electronic store for stuff which already has contracts in place designed for a different kind of media.
Meanwhile I simply cannot fathom why AAPL isn't through the roof!
Simple, it's the usual "silver lining" analysts effect.
As in, given the unrealistic expectations raised by pre-announcement hype (generated by people who had no idea of what the real product would be), no product could possibly rise to the hype.
Comments
Maybe because the reception has been lukewarm?
Oh god, here we go again.
This product is going to kick ass once people get it into their hands at the stores in April.
The only ones who hate it will be people expecting it to be a touch-based desktop.
For that, get a crapbook or any of the soon-to-follow Windows hack jobs that try to shim keyboard/mouse interfaces with glued-on touch.
The hype was astronomical around it, and it failed to deliver.
And Apple is responsible for that hype... how? And why would Apple be responsible for fulfilling techie wet dreams that had no basis in reality?
Even after the iPhone reveal, AAPL jumped 10 during the presentation and fell off right after.
This is normal AAPL behavior (to a large degree manipulated) and says nothing about acceptance or rejection of the iPad.
Meanwhile I simply cannot fathom why AAPL isn't through the roof!
Because the iPad didn't even come close to the hype.
2008 Largest US Based Publishers
McGraw-Hill $2.7B
Scholastic\t $2.2B
John Wiley\t $1.7B
**HarperCollins $1.4B\t
Reader's Digest\t $1.1B
**Simon & Schuster\t$0.9B
Marvel\t $0.4B
Perseus Books Group $0.3B
In unveiling its new iBook application and iBookstore for the iPad, Apple highlighted a number of publishers with which it has content agreements. But those deals, for now, are U.S.-only, and one glaring omission stood out from the list: McGraw-Hill.
Apple has begun launching international Web sites to promote the iPad, and the Australian page comes with a small footnote that reads: "iBooks available in the U.S. only."
Before Apple can make iBooks available in any country, it has to have books to sell. To do so, it has to make deals with the respective publishers in the respective country.
For example,Apple just can't make a deal with a publisher in the US and unilaterally provide it in another country without 'permission'. Like the music industry, each country has their own copyright, domestic/international rights, royalty splits, etc., laws and regulations for consideration. In addition, there is the issue of sales/payments that each respective local publisher in which each independent country would demand participation.
Hell hath no fury like a pissed off Steve Jobs!
Hey TS ...I would say welcome back ... except my heart wouldn't be in it. Also, judging from your posts under your "new" name, it seems your tagline is wrong ... instead of new and improved it should read ... old and same old.
Hey TS ...I would say welcome back ... except my heart wouldn't be in it. Also, judging from your posts under your "new" name, it seems your tagline is wrong ... instead of new and improved it should read ... old and same old.
You sound very addle-pated
Hey TS ...I would say welcome back ... except my heart wouldn't be in it. Also, judging from your posts under your "new" name, it seems your tagline is wrong ... instead of new and improved it should read ... old and same old.
You must be all upset cause I used the word "new".
i think the reason for no McGraw/Hill is basically because MH didn't buy into the iPad concept at launch. I think that guy was trying to toot his proverbial horn even though his company hadn't yet adopted the business model. Perhaps because they wanted to see the reaction to the iPad before spending the time and money into it. I'm guessing more publishers will come after the iPad goes on said and we start to see real numbers. Kind of like the Kindle.
The real questions we should ask here are:
1. will iBooks be available to the rest of the world anytime soon?
2. Will iBooks App be available for download on the iPhone/Touch?
3. What will they cost? We've heard rumor that they will be between $12-$15 each. Amazon sells for around $9.99 and less.
4. Will other e-book formats be supported on the iPad?
Amazon already has a really strong lead on Apple. If they want to start competing, they need an edge that Amazon doesn't. Amazon already has an App for the kindle on the iPhone and Touch. So i'd safely say the Kindle Store is up +2 already.
There are a lot of open source ibookse.g. Gutenberg project. Also many librairies aoffer downloadable ebooks some of which will run on ipod and many of which run on PCs. These are free but only allow 3-4 weeks use. Some libraries alos offer audio books for free. Question is "compatibility". I would prefer this route as I seldom buy books. Mostly get them form the library. Also I have the 2200 short story app to read on the bus. Mostly classics that I never read as a youth and a good source fo reading for your kids.
i think the reason for no McGraw/Hill is basically because MH didn't buy into the iPad concept at launch. I think that guy was trying to toot his proverbial horn even though his company hadn't yet adopted the business model. Perhaps because they wanted to see the reaction to the iPad before spending the time and money into it. I'm guessing more publishers will come after the iPad goes on said and we start to see real numbers. Kind of like the Kindle.
The real questions we should ask here are:
1. will iBooks be available to the rest of the world anytime soon?
2. Will iBooks App be available for download on the iPhone/Touch?
3. What will they cost? We've heard rumor that they will be between $12-$15 each. Amazon sells for around $9.99 and less.
4. Will other e-book formats be supported on the iPad?
Amazon already has a really strong lead on Apple. If they want to start competing, they need an edge that Amazon doesn't. Amazon already has an App for the kindle on the iPhone and Touch. So i'd safely say the Kindle Store is up +2 already.
It's entirely possible that they are way behind on negotiations with the neccessary parties in other countries, because they rushed to secure US availability for a spring launch and/or wanted to keep the project a bit more secret (fail). I'm guessing the former.
Random House (15.9% market share)
*Pearson (Penguin) (11%)
*HarperCollins (10.6%)
*Simon & Schuster (9.3%)
*Hachette (6.2%)
Scholastic (5.2%)
Thomas Nelson (4.7%)
Holtzbrinck (4.4%)
Tyndale House (1.9%)
Wiley (1.9%)
So Random House is really the missing piece of the puzzle.
Indeed. Puts the lack of McGraw Hill into perspective. They probably weren't mentioned because they are not that big.
No. That list (Holtzbrinck is Apple's 5th * because Holtzbrinck owns Macmillan) is only for sales thru retail booksellers. It does not include textbooks. Which, along with reference books, is all McGraw-Hill publishes.
You must be all upset cause I used the word "new".
not upset, just disappointed ... been watching your posts, knowing you can do so much better ... but not seeing it, kinda like you and iPad.
No. That list (Holtzbrinck is Apple's 5th * because Holtzbrinck owns MacMillen) is only for sales thru retail booksellers. It does not include textbooks. Which, along with reference books, is all McGraw-Hill publishes.
I see - thanks for the clarification.
You sound very addle-pated
wow, there's a word you don't see every day ... with good reason.
And Apple is responsible for that hype... how? And why would Apple be responsible for fulfilling techie wet dreams that had no basis in reality?
Even after the iPhone reveal, AAPL jumped 10 during the presentation and fell off right after.
This is normal AAPL behavior (to a large degree manipulated) and says nothing about acceptance or rejection of the iPad.
You can blame sites like AI and Wallstreet Journal, Times, Engadget, and practically everyone else who writes on technology for that. The blogeratti had what they envisioned the product to be, every analyst who was thinking this device was the second coming of the ten commandments and that VZW would be getting the iPhone (this will leak well before it happens TRUST ME, VZW cant keep anything secret).
Most stockholders could have easily been underwhelmed by the showing, considering what the media was spouting off (99% was rehash and in the dark guessing) the device could do and what Apple would be announcing. There is no way they would be immune to it, it was everywhere.
Its not Apples fault, but the lofty expectations from the iPhone platform had set the standard for this device.
Not having MHP there is not a snub but more a "wait and see" approach of where the Ipad fits in its business model. I think if the Ipad becomes a more enterprise worthy hardware that being a good citizen, it will be a better impacting device than just adding an IPhone to these environments.
If MS Office (Mactopia) makes a "lite" version of the 2010 product, this will be the game-changer to bring this prosumer hardware to the Fortune 500 worlds.
IMO
M--
This REALLY sucks. I was all for the iPad before they decided that the UK doesn't want to read. Nutters.
I bet they'll use the excuse that "the UK market isn't ready yet" which is rubbish. It's they who aren't ready.
Oh for heaven's sake, it's the problem of having to negotiate non-US rights to books, not any lack of faith in the British reader. It's a problem for all US-based ebook stores and Apple is no different. Amazon's Kindle store has only just recently become available outside the US and Canada, and many books are still not available to non-US/Canada residents. Same with every other ebook store from B&N to Fictionwise.
It was months and months after the iTunes music store opened in the US before it became available in the UK, Australia and other places, and there's still quite a bit of content that's not available in all places at the same time. It's going to take a long time to get the iBook store available outside the USA/Canada axis, probably 6-12 months of lawyers, agents and endless negotiations. Heck, the print industry is worse than music and films because it's older and more fragmented and depends on more creators than they do, and they all have their own agents!
Music, film and print publishing are not exactly into the whole internet vibe of borderless selling and digital downloads in case you haven't noticed! These 19th and 20th century industries still cling to all sorts of weird and arcane rules and geographic separation of rights which unfortunately can't simply be swept away by the Jobs reality distortion field. sadly it's going to take a while, but I'm sure they'll get there in the end.
US only is ridiculous! you have the app store everywhere, how is an e-book store different?
That's the wrong comparison. It's more correct to compare with the iTMS. There's a lot of pain in the butt negotiations and horse-wrangling that has to go on. They're making an electronic store for stuff which already has contracts in place designed for a different kind of media.
This REALLY sucks. I was all for the iPad before they decided that the UK doesn't want to read. Nutters.
I bet they'll use the excuse that "the UK market isn't ready yet" which is rubbish. It's they who aren't ready.
More likely that, like the music publishing business, distribution is regionally divided up. They'll have to work with local branches to distribute.
Patience, grasshopper.
Meanwhile I simply cannot fathom why AAPL isn't through the roof!
Simple, it's the usual "silver lining" analysts effect.
As in, given the unrealistic expectations raised by pre-announcement hype (generated by people who had no idea of what the real product would be), no product could possibly rise to the hype.
Or, "every silver lining has a dark cloud".