Back in October 2017, Apple rolled out a new version of its mobile operating system (iOS 11); the update removed books from iTunes—both mobile and desktop versions—making it harder for non-Apple users to buy ebooks from iBooks.
However, Apple’s iBooks remains the number-two ebook retailer in the United States, and as such, it is watched closely for any sign that it might better challenge Amazon. Whenever considering Apple’s strength against Amazon’s, keep in mind that Apple’s combined digital media sales are currently bigger than Amazon’s combined digital media sales. So there’s potential, but is there will?
A new article from Bloomberg looks at changes on the way from Apple in the ebook environment. First, there will be a name change: iBooks will become just Books and the Apple Bookstore. Alongside the name change will be a redesigned app with a dedicated tab for digital audiobooks.
Michael Cader of Publishers Lunch writes (subscription required), “What happens in that audiobooks tab is the big issue for book publishing. It’s been just over a year since Amazon’s Audible and Apple agreed to end their worldwide digital audiobook exclusivity agreements.” (Until January 2017, Apple could only sell audiobooks supplied by Audible.) The door is now open for Apple to sell audiobooks from any supplier, including book publishers and third-party aggregators, although they have not yet done so. Cader says, “The launch of Google Play Audiobooks earlier this week should spur Apple on.”
In an interesting commentary, Bradley Metrock of Score Publishing (now owner of Digital Book World) discusses what needs to happen for Apple to become truly competitive. Two points stand out and are hard to argue with: The first is that Apple’s bookstore search is broken and must be fixed. The second is that Apple Books must become cross-platform and create an app that works on all devices (Android, Windows, Alexa, etc.). Elsewhere, Mark Williams argues that Apple needs an ebook subscription service to compete, as well as the ability to sell ebooks in more territories to the people who already own Apple devices.
Bottom line: Commentary about Apple’s latest changes often mention a new executive who has been brought in to lead the effort: Kashif Zafar, who was formerly an exec at Amazon’s Audible and Barnes & Noble’s Nook. Perhaps with the right leadership, Apple can use its number-two position in a way that changes the game (at least a little), especially if it focuses on a global approach. As Williams points out, Amazon has only 12 country-specific stores, while Apple has 51—perhaps the sought-after chink in Amazon’s armor. Add to that the Walmart-Kobo partnership (see previous item), and it’s not hard to envision the ebook wars reviving.
Jane Friedman has spent her entire career working in the publishing industry, with a focus on business reporting and author education. Established in 2015, her newsletter The Bottom Line provides nuanced market intelligence to thousands of authors and industry professionals; in 2023, she was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World.
Jane’s expertise regularly features in major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, NPR, The Today Show, Wired, The Guardian, Fox News, and BBC. Her book, The Business of Being a Writer, Second Edition (The University of Chicago Press), is used as a classroom text by many writing and publishing degree programs. She reaches thousands through speaking engagements and workshops at diverse venues worldwide, including NYU’s Advanced Publishing Institute, Frankfurt Book Fair, and numerous MFA programs.
