The iBookstore is the means to download iBooks to the iBook application on the long-awaited Apple iPad and now the recently announced iPhone 4. Users download ebooks to the iBooks app which is integrated with the iBookstore. The iBookstore is the ebook equivalent of iTunes for the iPod. The iBookstore opens upon launch of the iPad in each country due to different arrangement with publishers. The latest news, links, and content provider announcements are found on this page.

The versatility of the iPad and the large 9.7 inch color display that allows a richer reading experience (e.g., means to navigate around the ebook) are expected to attract the interest of many consumers considering ebook readers such as the Kindle DX. The synchronization of bookmarks feature announced for the iOS 4 simplifies reading ebooks on either your iPad or iPhone but not your laptop computer at the moment.

iBooks and the associated iBookstore is the top free download according to the April Distimo Reporthttp://distimo.createsend3.com/t/r/l/bddfh/tukhsidt/j

A walk-through (how-to) is now available for iBooks/iBookstore http://www.garagesalepreview.com/ibooks-and-the-ibookstore-a-walkthrough/ A different walkthrough now on MacWorldhttp://www.macworld.com/article/150896/2010/04/ibookstore.html

iBookstore has some of the highest prices for ebooks. Paperbacks or Kindle ebooks are cheaper at Amazon.com for the same title.http://www.thebookseller.com/news/119692-ibookstore-books-cheaper-to-buy-in-print-and-via-kindle.html However, the price difference is expected to close as iPad book buying volume overtakes the Kindle in the near future.http://www.electronista.com/articles/10/06/19/analyst.sees.amazon.kindles.edge.lost.to.apple/

iBookstore sold 1.5 million+ ebooks in first monthhttp://www.informationweek.com/news/hardware/mac/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=224700595

Over five million books downloaded in 65 days from iBookstore according to Steve Jobs during the WWDC Keynote. Share of eBooks on iBookstore is now 22% for five of the six biggest publishers in US.

The iBookStore allows browsing, reading select excerpts, and purchasing books for your iBook application on your iPad.http://shegeeks.net/the-apple-ipad-and-ibook-store-leaves-amazon-kindle-in-a-pickle/ iTunes now lists more books (26,000+) than games (24,000+).http://gigaom.com/2010/03/02/books-now-outnumber-games-on-the-iphone/ The built-in iBookstore within the iBook reader gets marks for convenience.http://gizmodo.com/5522341/embracing-the-digital-book

Users will have to download the iBooks application from the iTunes store before using iBookstore.http://www.businessinsider.com/the-real-reason-apple-isnt-bundling-its-e-book-store-with-the-ipad-2010-2 iBooks is only available from the iBookstore in the US at the product launch. International versions of iBookstore are expected to be available when the iPad is available in other countries. There are plans to expand internationally based on a job posting for an iBooks manager to cover Canada and Asia-Pacific. http://www.macrumors.com/2010/03/02/apple-making-plans-to-extend-ibookstore-internationally/

Some eBooks will be available starting at $4.99 though $7.99, and $12.99 were also seen during the announcement.http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/news/comments/apple-announces-ibookstore-for-ipad/ http://obamapacman.com/2010/02/apple-ipad-ibookstore-ebook-prices-high-price-myth/ Bestsellers will be considerably more expensive - cheaper than hardcover but pricier than paperbacks so possibly $14.99.http://www.pmptoday.com/2010/01/27/apple-ipad-tablet-disappoints-ibookstore-inspires-wonder/

All iBookstore ebook downloads will be in the widespread ePUB ebook standard developed by the International Digital Publishing Forum and used by many ereaders.http://theappleblog.com/2010/01/27/ibooks-app-ibook-store/ Due to different DRM software, it looks like ebooks for the iBooks reader will be incompatible with other eBook readers.http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14382854?nclick_check=1 However Apple posted on the iBooks feature website prior to pre-sales that DRM-free ebooks in ePUB format can be downloaded to iTunes and then synched to the iPad.http://www.apple.com/ipad/features/ibooks.html

The iBookstore/iTunes setup allows one stop purchase and download of ebooks. If you wish to download ebooks from third parties like Amazon or Barnes & Noble you must go through the Safari browser as Apple bans 3rd party e-commerce applications in any of its apps.http://blogs.forbes.com/velocity/2010/02/26/apple-stacks-the-deck-against-amazons-kindle-app/

Magazines are available from a wide variety of publishers via the Zinio app which has been reported to be a disappointing experience.http://theappleblog.com/2010/04/21/zinio-ipad-magazines-disappointing-future/ http://www.dailyindia.com/blog/221129429.php

Steve Jobs said during the iPad product announcement "We're going to open the flood gates for the rest of the publishers in the world starting this afternoon". He browsed the New York Times Bestseller list. The iBookstore has signed up both major and independent publishers during the January 27 iPad announcement: Penguin, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Macmillan, and Hachette book group.http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/news/comments/apple-announces-ibookstore-for-ipad/ They added Perseus Group and Workman the last week of March.http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/apple_adds_another_publisher_to_ipad_medium-sized_independent_workman/ Random House has still chosen not to participate even after sales began.http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/news/comments/random-house-remains-ibookstore-holdout/

Surprisingly, McGraw-Hill Education was absent despite repeated rumors prior to the announcement.http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/01/28/ipad_ibooks_app_us_only_mcgraw_hill_absent_from_apple_event.html Industry analysts ar wondering why book store partners like Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, or Borders were not mentioned since they also have online ebook bookstores.http://www.cultofmac.com/how-good-will-selection-be-in-the-ibookstore/28122

The pricing of e-books is likely to change according to industry analysts as Amazon's domination of e-books and their (typical) $9.99 pricing through its Kindle reader would come to an end.http://money.cnn.com/2010/01/21/technology/ebook_pricing.fortune/index.htm Kindle readers are of course loyal followers of Amazon's discounted books so it is unclear how many would switch.http://shegeeks.net/the-apple-ipad-and-ibook-store-leaves-amazon-kindle-in-a-pickle/ Since Amazon already has an iPhone app for its bookstorehttp://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/01/apple-ipad-newspapers-magazines.html, the prospect of competition looms. Publishers have been battling Amazon over the rigidity in $9.99 ebook pricing (most ebooks at Barnes & Noble are also $9.99http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/15/AR2010011501623.html). Some analysts see the backing of the Apple iBookStore by publishers as more freedom to set prices.http://flavorwire.com/65663/5-ways-the-apple-ipad-could-change-e-books-ibook-store-steve-jobs http://www.redmondpie.com/ebooks-price-war-between-apple-and-amazon-begins-9140409/

Most digital book titles from the iBookstore will be locked by Fairplay which is a digital rights management software used by Apple in the past. Fairplay was used on iTunes music until a year ago. Other content in the iTunes store still uses Fairplay. There willl be other protection such as using Adobe Content Server 4.http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/02/apple-ibooks-drm-fairplay.html PDF and reflowable EPUB eBooks on supported mobile devices are digitally protected via Content Server 4 and Adobe Digital Editions software.http://www.adobe.com/products/contentserver/

Nine countries got the iPad on May 28th: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK. Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore are scheduled to get the iPad in July.

The iBookstore opening coincides with the release dates that apple has announced for iPad in other parts of world.http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/05/07/ipad-overseas-ship-dates-and-prices/ The iBookstore is now open (as of May 28th) in Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Spain, and the UK.http://www.macrumors.com/2010/05/07/apple-to-begin-international-roll-out-of-ibooks-and-ibookstore-alongside-ipad-launch/

No word yet though on what is included in the iBookstore in Australia - just a tersely worded iBooks available on May 28th.http://www.itwire.com/opinion-and-analysis/core-dump/38954-ibookstore-uncertainty-dampening-ipad-interest Similarly, the iBookstore launch on May 28th is in question due to legal implications of Apple setting prices for publishers books (or vice versa).http://www.thebookseller.com/news/118550-legal-issues-raise-question-over-ipad-agency-model-in-uk.html

iBooks is now available in the UK for the forthcoming launch of the iPad. However, the UK iBookstore has no books to buy at the moment - just out-of-copyright classics (but free).http://www.slashgear.com/ibooks-hits-international-ipads-but-ibookstore-is-bare-2586971/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+slashgear+%28SlashGear%29 See sidebar for a workaround.

Pay more for an e-book than a printed one? Want to loan a book to your friend? Want permission from the publisher to copy an out of print textbook for your class? The release of the iPad and its iBookstore are bringing all these issues to the forefront. The issues were less pronounced with the Kindle due to Amazon's aggressive pricing. Now it seems the publishers have the upper hand on pricing.

Sources:http://www.itwire.com/opinion-and-analysis/core-dump/38954-ibookstore-uncertainty-dampening-ipad-interest

Due to unresolved publisher issues, iBookstore in other countries have a limited number (or no) recent books for sale. You can get a USA iTunes account to give you access to the collection available in US (or use Kindle or Kobo - see below).http://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/the-ibookstore-is-a-wasteland-for-international-users/

Kindle or Kobo app don't have the ease of purchasing as the iBookstore since Apple restricts their payment systems to a browser, but a greater selection than the iBookstore to date.http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/personal-tech/apple/how-the-ipad-will-deliver-books-from-boundage/article1529087/ Both apps are free.

Google Books are available indirectly. Google help recommends you download public domain books onto your Mac or PC using iTunes and then synch with your iPad.http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/books/thread?tid=19b845d194af4217&hl=en