Google ebookstore opens in UK
The Google ebookstore opened on 6 October. Google say that "readers in the UK now have access to the world’s largest ebooks collection, with hundreds of thousands of ebooks for sale – from major UK publishers like Hachette, Random House and Penguin – as well as more than two million public domain ebooks for free."
They also say that they have partnered with independent booksellers, "so you will soon be able to buy Google eBooks through your favourite bookstore".They are also working with booksellers Gardners’ Hive, and with local retailers like Blackwell’s as affiliate partners.
First reactions
The first reaction to the Google ebookstore is that it:
- has a much simpler interface to navigate (compares well with WHSmith, Waterstone's etc)
- uses Adobe ADEPT DRM (same as Waterstone's etc)
- provides different ways of reading the books: on the web, using a Sony eReader (and any other eReader supporting Adobe DRM), and Android and iOS apps
- unlike other iOS readers, this works to some extent at least with Voiceover, the Apple iOS screenreader
- is not obvious how you import previously purchased books into this ecosystem, or export them if you choose to switch.
The Telegraph concludes that it represents a big step for the firm towards becoming a major content provider, but compared to Amazon and Apple it is a complete novice:
- Google's ebook store opens to face struggle against Amazon (The Telegraph, 7 October 2011)
