Internet search services provider Google, Inc., US, is making all the right moves that will help it dominate the e-book space, reports eWeek.com. The e-book marketplace is observed to be turning increasingly crowded. Initially, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com were competing for customer dollars. But after Apple launched its iBooks service for the iPad, all that reportedly changed.
Publishers are now able to send their books for selling on several different e-platforms and make profit in a space they originally feared. Another competitor – Google – is making its way to the market. The company plans to release its service in July this year. Amazon.com, Apple and the others are already wondering what the search giant has planned.
Google is known for its tendency to enter the market, find the right place to promote its service and win out or perform well enough to succeed. So far, the mainstream public is still opting for hardcovers over e-versions of a book. But as more and more people become aware of e-books, they will be looking for the best solution, it is observed. While Amazon.com's Kindle or Apple's iPad lead the market today, Google's service, Google Editions, may change that soon. eWeek.com looks at how Google Editions could help the company win the e-books market.
The biggest challenge in the e-books space today is trying to get mainstream consumers to buy titles. Google reportedly has the ability to draw the mainstream. While Apple is convincing consumers to look at tablets, it is debatable whether iBooks will really turn out to be the killer app. Google plans to make the new service available in as many places as possible. Users will be able to buy e-books online from a slew of retailers, including independent book stores. Google also plans to make Editions available to mobile-device users. A major impediment for Google's competitors in the e-books market is that they rely on their own mobile devices to sell books. Google, on the other hand, realises that relying so heavily on a single device will hold it back. It therefore plans to offer its books on as many products as possible.
While publishers had earlier criticised Google for its books digitising project, they are now beginning to warm to the search giant, as they realise the profit potential of e-books. The company is yet to announce any partnerships with publishers, making it difficult to state how many books will be available on the service. Given the success of the iBooks and the Kindle, both big and small publishers are expected to ink deals with Google.
To roll out Editions in as many places as possible, Google plans to share a majority of its profit with partners. While publishers are already making big profits on their deals with Amazon.com and Apple, it is obvious that they will migrate to the e-books platform that will deliver best returns. If Google Editions becomes as successful as it is expected to be and continues to share the bulk of its profits with retailers and publishers, it could put competitors in a dangerous position.
The iPad is not the dominant player in the e-books market, even though it is seen to deliver a fine reading experience. In a few years time, Apple would have likely dominated the e-books market if not for Google's intervention. Google’s new service could help its chances of taking on Apple. With a slew of e-books available for download quickly for the device, the Kindle is claimed to be the most successful e-reader currently. But it is expected that once Google enters the market, Amazon.com will need to drastically change its strategy just to stay relevant.
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