What does iPad change in ebook business? (summary)

What does iPad change in ebook business?

(summary)

1. Substantial increase of audience.

Successful sales of iPad in 5-6 months will result in a large number of similar devices based on “Android from China for $100”, i.e. much more cheaper and available. This in turn will substantially increase potential audience for “services for tablets”, including ebook businesses.

2. Mass platform for studying.

Large screen allows using iPad and Android-tablets in a much wider scope as a platform for educational applications. Especially big hopes are connected with the field of interactive books for kids and students (including in field of medicine).

3. New platforms for publishing.

Large range of new functions (including interactive ones) makes production of interactive books “from the scratch” rather expensive. In this light various platforms for publishing are being developed to decrease costs of “packing” the book.

4. The line between interactive books and games is blurred.

Interactive nature of books is increased based on popular scripts; this will lead to blurring the line between books and games (A book with two different endings, depending on reader’s behaviour?) Why not?).

5. Integration of commercial services into books.

Development of books interactive nature will mean that during the process of interaction between the reader and book the former will be offered various extra services, depending on his or her behavior and tastes – developers of such books will pursue to have maximum profit from a single customer not only during the process of purchase but also after it.

6. Interactive comics-blogs.

iPad format is very handy for creating various semi-interactive comics, sale and reading of which would be done via special platforms, which provide an advanced range of multimedia and commercial functions.

7. Books will be able to live its own life in social media.

Almost each books can be discussed within itself, send favourite quote to Facebook/Twitter, connect with a page on Facebook, create community of fans etc. All this is effective methods of “promoting the book by itself”.

These and other features allow to state that we observe only the beginning of a painful conversion of traditional business with century-long traditions into a new one (i.e. with totally new business models).
And the one who will first find working, new business models, will the first!