Jerry Brito

This is an aside titled 'Reading Steve Jobs' dated 3/3/08

Reading Steve Jobs. John Markoff ponders the scenario I’ve been predicting for a while: an Apple book reader. He sees it as a new multi-touch tablet device bigger than an iPod Touch. While that device may come, I think it would make sense to also have reader software on the iPhone and iPod.

3 comments posted

Posted by PJ Doland - 03/03/2008

If Apple really had their sights set on the book market, they probably would have tried to outbid Amazon for Audible, especially given the amount of cash they have on hand at the moment.
Posted by Jerry Brito - 03/03/2008

Audible’s great, don’t get me wrong, but what does Audible have that Apple needs? As far as I understand, Audible just aggregates audiobooks from the publishers and offers consumers an easy way to buy or subscribe and download the books. Their limited original content aside, there’s nothing there Apple can’t replicate with iTunes dealing directly with the publishers.

My focus here is also on an e-reader. Audible has nothing to do with that. Aside from the screen technology and size, what does the Kindle have that the iPhone doesn’t? iTunes is sitting there just waiting to distribute print content over the air just like the Kindle system. I don’t think they’re going to leave that cash on the table.
Posted by PJ Doland - 03/04/2008

What does the Kindle have that the iPhone doesn’t? Much better battery life (due to the use of electronic ink) and a much larger screen.

Fair point about Audible, though.