The iPad won’t make its market debut until March, but Apple CEO Steve Jobs is already jockeying for e-reader leadership. Jobs told The Wall Street Journal that publishers are withholding their e-books from Amazon.com — because they aren’t happy with the digital book-selling giant.
Apple’s iPad is preparing to move into the territory dominated by Amazon.com and its Kindle e-reader. Apple launched the iBooks app for the iPad along with the iBookstore, which Apple is billing as the best way to browse, buy and read books on a mobile device. Apple hasn’t listed its e-book prices yet, but Jobs is priming the pump for a battle.
“Steve Jobs is right. The publishers aren’t happy with Amazon,” said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. “Amazon did give some concessions to publishers shortly before the iPad launched, but the Kindle has not been a publisher favorite. Newspapers and magazines aren’t happy with the device, either, because it doesn’t offer the text in columns with embedded advertising.”
Amazon’s Danger
Analyst predictions for iPad sales range from four million to 10 million in the first year. Enderle’s projections range from four million to six million, depending on the competitive response. Amazon isn’t likely to roll over and let Apple take over the e-book publishing world like it did the digital music world. But Amazon may have to make adjustments to compete with the iPad and the third generation of e-readers from competitors.
“Amazon and Kindle are going to have to dramatically up their game if they are going to hold. The Kindle is supposed to go through a refresh at the end of the year,” Enderle said. “It’s supposed to get a better display in the five-inch product than the iPad has, which would, if true, address the rendering problems.”
Amazon can make changes to its licensing and…
Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]