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Dec 09, 08 - 04:42 pm Comment from: Spark

I think that books on the iPhone or iPods are fine because these devices were not built as readers, so we accept limitations. If Apple sold books there would be an expectation that its hardware devices would be better optimized for reading, which they are not now. Maybe if Apple actually develops a tablet, THEN it should embrace digital books.

Dec 09, 08 - 04:43 pm Comment from: Spark

Hell... did that make sense to anyone else?

Dec 09, 08 - 04:44 pm Comment from: Chip

I would completely agree, if there were a computing device as pleasurable to hold for long stretches of time as a book. As the proud owner of one of the new MacBooks, I have to say it's getting pretty close.

Dec 09, 08 - 04:47 pm Comment from: Chip

"Hell... did that make sense to anyone else?"

Made sense to me, except for the part after "I think".

(Just kidding. Obviously I agree completely.)

Not so! The iTunes store is not intended solely for the iPhone/iPodTouch.

Not so either because people who don't read books may still be willing to read written content on their desktop or laptop screen.

eReaders of any kind should include a little chemical spritzer to emit that good old must/paper/glue smell every time you open a book file to read.

SteveJ is dead wrong about those who read. Lots of people read. I think Apple is missing an opportunity because of this very narrow world-view.

Dec 09, 08 - 05:01 pm Comment from: Cubert

Yes. Next question.

I don't read books from some time. AudioBooks are the future. There is some publications here that gives you a Audio CD copy of the publication so you can hear it on your car. also, there is news podcast and things like that.

Besides that, there is some applications on iPhone and iPod to read books. I believe that the Books publishers will benefit more from the iTunes model that apple need from their books. Imagine, 10,000 books on sale and 30 millions downloads in 3 or 6 months.

Dec 09, 08 - 05:09 pm Comment from: Demon

interesting but not relevant to Apple's current focus.
Yes, we get it, the publishing industry is on the verge of death with no real plan for moving into the digital age. AKA the same boat the music industry was in. Just because Steve Jobs grabbed the Music industry by the nads and pulled it kicking and screaming into the age of Digital Music all the while stuffing larger and larger sums of their own profits into their pockets, doesn't mean that it can be done with the Print Media Publishing Industry. With the Music Industry Apple a clear vision on were it needed to go, the print publishing industry is not so clear. I think Apple will step aside on saving the print publishing industry and let Amazon give it a shot, after all Amazon has a much more vested interest in saving it then Apple does.

Dec 09, 08 - 05:10 pm Comment from: Cubert

@ locutus_ix,

Just like how Steve Jobs said no one would ever want to watch videos on an iPod. Sometimes he lies on purpose.

I agree with locutus_ix. Yes, many people don't read, but a lot of people don't listen to recorded music either. The amount of books sold on Amazon and in bookstores across the country says that a hell of a lot of people are reading. As we travel and go about our daily routines, we see people all around us with their face in a book.

Maybe Steve doesn't read and assumes others don't either. He probably doesn't spend any time in local eateries, on the bus or subway, or on commercial flights. If he did, he might rethink his thoughts on reading.

God knows we love him and need him, but he is mortal and can be mistaken.

This is whats wrong with our country. NO ONE READS anymore, and yes that is true, reading is down. and when i say read, i mean a whole book not just a magazine,blog,or short article in the newspaper. this is why our schools suck, parents don't read, then the kids won't read. Reading opens the mind's imagination and that is something we lack very much of as a whole country.

Dec 09, 08 - 05:20 pm Comment from: ken1w

I think Steve Jobs is right. It's unfortunate that most people are less willing to sit still and read words on page as a form of entertainment these days.

> Just like how Steve Jobs said no one would ever want to watch videos on an iPod. Sometimes he lies on purpose.

The difference is that watching videos in small devices was getting more popular. Reading is general is becoming less popular.

i don't think apple will lose much or gain much from offering ebooks. but i do think they should offer them just 'for the hell of it'. kind of like apple tv. make it a hobby.

people don't read books, i think, mostly because books haven't really evolved, and all the ebook readers suck. audio books are better, but how about an ebook that offers both audio and text? that would be great. it would probably help kids or people learning the language read and help with pronounication. you could shut either audio or text off if you don't need it etc.

Dec 09, 08 - 05:34 pm Comment from: Demon

Will even with Audio Books on the iPod Apple didn't take that venture on either. Yes, Audio Books are in iTunes but buy way of an Apple partnership with the Audiobook big gun, Audible.com.
Apple could put Books in iTunes one day, and if it does I think it will be via a partnership with Amazon like their Audible partnership. Apple will not do digital E-books on it's own. it will be with the major Digital e-book store. I think in a short time that will be Amazon.

As for me, I haven't read as much for pleasure in a long time as I have since I loaded eReader on my iPhone. The thing that makes it work is that it is always with me. Whenever I have a few spare minutes, I can manage to read a few "pages".

I consistently listen to audio books while in my car, listening to the news radio for traffic reports in the rare situation that a tape story runs out before I get to a destination. I also have a print novel at the same time that I read at breakfast and at bedtime. At the end of a year I have listened to or read many books.

I used to buy books that I wanted to read, but then I discovered this place where you could go in and select books and tapes, take them home, and then bring them back when finished with never a charge. It is called a library. A great concept!

I get all my material at the library which is always crowded with people of all ages (lots of school age children) reading and/or checking out books, generally in multiples. However, I don't think I would enjoy reading a book on my computer or something similar.

Dec 09, 08 - 05:55 pm Comment from: January 24, 1984

I've written four science fiction novels, and have been considering having them read into a podcast to increase my audience.

Does anyone here have any such experience?

That's one of the few things where I think Steve-O is wrong.

People DO read; the problem is that there's an awful little market where people would need an electronic reader.

I read a lot, bought maybe 20 books (fiction) last year. But I do not need a eBook reader to get my fix. It doesn't offer anything over a good old-fashioned pocket book.

Professional reading would; then again, most professional literature I need is already electronic, and available in online databases, with search functions where the electronic format pays off.

Recreational reading simply does not need eBooks.

Dec 09, 08 - 06:08 pm Comment from: Spudly

"Should Apple add books to iTunes Store?"

YES!!

Dec 09, 08 - 06:12 pm Comment from: thefrazman

I'd love to have access to books through the iTS. Count me in with those who think Apple is missing an opportunity here.

Also, though, ya gotta keep in mind that Steve and Co. typically deny interest in adding functionality to the iPod/iTunes ecosystem right up until the moment that they do it.

Why don't Amazon just write a Kindle app for the iPhone? They'd still make money on the book sales, even if they lost (a few) hardware sales.

Of course people read, and in huge quantities too - in print and on the web as the Great SJ should know.

In fact, there's already a nice iPhone reader out there, with page flips, voice over and sound effects -- a book-plus that works on every level.

So -- ebooks on iT? Yes please!

i dont think apple has or have ignored the book sector, they will address it when the time is right, that will most likely be with a product such as a tablet or netbook device. At that point we will see the final piece in the digital lifestyle jigsaw

reference books. Everything is not about entertainment.

Does the average person under 30 actually know how to read?

Comic books don't count.

Dec 09, 08 - 06:29 pm Comment from: TheConfuzed1

Steve said it won't happen. That means he intends to make it happen.

60% of the U.S. population is a large market. Especially as once you get past the one book or less per year crowd the number of books read per year goes up rapidly. However, i don't think Steve Jobs really meant an ebook reader will never be a viable product. He meant he's not interested in talking about it right now so stop bothering him.

As for books on the iTunes store. I don't think so. The iTunes store is getting cluttered as it is. It needs a redesign and division into product departments to make it simple again.

Indeed, Steve Jobs is ”lying on purpose“ with regard to reading, just as he was with iPods and video. Forty percent is still a lot of people. What percentage of the population actually buys music (either as a CD or digital)? I suspect it's also around 40 or 50 percent. Book publishing is a multi-billion dollar industry (I believe it is larger than music), too large for Apple to ignore. The iPhone is a surprisingly ergonomic reading device, I actually enjoy reading from it more than my Sony Reader, which is expensive and has very limited functionality (though it too is a solid e-reading device). An iTunes bookstore would be a grand slam, in my view, it would blow away amazon's and Sony's attempt at developing the industry.

Are the "dumb" 40% the people Apple really wants - or needs?
Housing Estate cows with their hair pulled back who spend their disposable income on scratch cards and lottery tickets?

Dec 09, 08 - 07:20 pm Comment from: alansky

"It doesn’t matter how good or bad the product is, the fact is that people don’t read anymore. Forty percent of the people in the U.S. read one book or less last year. The whole conception is flawed at the top because people don’t read anymore."

Just because Steve Jobs says it doesn't automatically make it true. I have no idea where Steve got this so-called statistic from, but it flies in the face of reason and I say "Baloney!"

Forty percent of people read one book or less last year.

That means 60 percent (that's more than half) read more than one book last year. I bet that number was greater than two.

I'm sure Apple is working on something like this, but of course, Apple (and Jobs) isn't going to play up eBook readers or the potential market if they're planning on getting into it.

I read books, both paper and on the iPhone. I like the iPhone as it is easier to take the books with me!

Maybe Steve was Steve Jobs is ”lying on purpose“. If you love tin foil hats, go with that line of thought!

But I think Steve based his remarks at the time, on a survey that demonstrated a very large decline in the number of people who read narratives.

Each to their own, but I find it difficult to read the books on my iLibrary (iPod touch) bring on the "MacTab".

That MDN quote is stupid. What has SJ done each and every time he intends to move into a product area? Say publicly that he thinks the area is a dud!

What Cubert said.

> I've written four science fiction novels, and have been considering
> having them read into a podcast to increase my audience.

> Does anyone here have any such experience?

Yes, see http://www.podiobooks.com/ . Many authors are doing just that.

Forget READING!!! Audiobooks are GREAT! Who has the time to READ...if the purpose is to communicate than it makes no difference if you READ or if you LISTEN.

I can only speak for myself but I feel as if I get a lot more out of an AudioBook than I do if I read the book. "A Brief History of Nearly Everything" is a wonderful book but I bet it would be boring to read. I have listened to it at least 5 times and I am 100% sure I would not have read it that many times. I take long road trips and AudioBooks RULE!

And I bet at least 40% of Americans, buy less than five songs a year off iTMS. Under Steve's logic, that would make the music selling business a bad thing to get into.

Steve knows statistics can say anything.

so the writing is on the wall for books?

huh?

Yeah, Amazon will only sell about 69 billion books this Xmas.

Staring at the iPod touch screen? bleh. screw that. We got Audiobooks... just forget about reading off the screen. Stanza? Weird..

Apple has an opportunity to make life easier once again for someone. There is also a business opportunity here. All these clowns bitching about Apple every day like they get paid to infiltrate the internet and be dickbrains all day long everyday. On another page today I saw brainless morons blaming Apple because someone had a problem with a video chip made by Nvidia. And another it's Apples fault because some manufacture that makes memory has some sort of blatant tolerance problem. I am thoroughly convinced that 99% of these 'blog' postings are made by 9 year olds. This is getting way out of control. There is a onslaught of negative feedback at Amazon all about glossy screens. WTF? All of the manufacturers have gone glossy and Apple gets kicked in the peanuts because they do too. And they did it right by using real freaking glass. WTF?

Maybe can they just add french books and Audiobooks in french Canadian iTunes Store. Actually there's none.

Dec 10, 08 - 02:32 am Comment from: Jubei

Give it an interface like Classic App and it will take off!!

Dec 10, 08 - 03:39 am Comment from: ken1w

Steve Jobs did not say people don't and won't read anymore. Well, actually, he did say that... But I think he was referring to reading books for entertainment. There are too many other "competing" entertainment activities, and reading is too time-intensive (for the new generation).

Obviously, people will still read all the time... including stuff that comes up on computer and iPhone screens. They are just in the form of blogs, chat and text messaging, and web sites like MDN. Things that require a shorter attention span. And even that type of content is becoming more audio and video based. Unfortunately (for people who like books), this is the cultural trend for the future.

At some point (if not already), the simple skills of being able to read with reasonable comprehension, and write coherently, will become valuable personal assets for the persons who can. I hope something unexpected happens to change this trend.

Dec 10, 08 - 09:19 am Comment from: silverwarloc

As an anecdotal evidence, this year alone I've read five books. I am now starting War and Peace (this is a long one). My kids on the other hand, there are too many (for this year alone). But, to name just a few:
1. Twilight series (4)
2. Brisinger (last book of trilogy)
3. Inkheart series (bought 2 of the 4)
4. Harry Potter (last book)
5. Marked series (4)
6. To Kill a Mocking Bird
7. A Brave New World

Despite all that, I still don't believe that Apple has missed the boat on e-Books. Audio books are fine...but when you listen to it in your car, are you really paying attention to the story? I liken this to some riding a stationary bike and reading at the same time. Yes, you can do both. But what kind of a workout dit you really get?

Dec 10, 08 - 09:35 am Comment from: Connor MacBook

If Apple add too many more media types to the iTunes Store, they'll have to re-christen it the iMedia Store.

Dec 10, 08 - 09:50 am Comment from: drmacnut

@January 24 1984
I've written four science fiction novels, and have been considering having them read into a podcast to increase my audience. Does anyone here have any such experience?

Yes, if you are talking about recording audiobooks and voice-overs. You can contact me at trappster [at] gmail.com.

Dec 10, 08 - 11:59 am Comment from: Sacharissa

I guess I'm an anomoly, then. Since I got my iPhone 3G in July, I have read 68 novels - all of them downloaded from eReader.com. In fact...the main reason I waited until the iPhone 3G was because eReader didn't have an iPhone App available until then, and I didn't want to loose the hundreds of ebooks I had for my Palm.

I'd been tempted by the Sony Reader and the Amazon Kindle, but Come On! THAT much money for a one-trick pony? The iPhone (or iPod Touch) is the perfect reading machine, and I would LOVE for iTunes to work out a deal with Amazone so I could access their vast catalog of Kindle Books on my iPhone. Until then, I guess I'll stick with eReader.com!