Apple Introduces Textbooks To iOS Devices
Apple hosted an education-focused media event on Thursday Jan. 19, introducing its iBooks 2 e-book software for iOS devices.
The new software accompanies a push by Apple to bring classroom textbooks to the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.
Apple said it is partnering with McGraw-Hill, Pearson, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on the textbook push. All of these companies are currently responsible for 90 percent of textbook sales in the U.S.
Apple’s initial focus for its textbook effort is on high school textbooks. The new software will allow authors to continually update their content, and the students get to keep the copies of their books indefinitely.
Apple said at the press event that the high school textbooks would be available for $14.99 or less on iBook 2.
The new software allows textbooks to also have interactive captions, 3D objects, diagrams and videos.
IBooks 2 is available for free as a download from the App Store and is an update to the existing iBooks app.
Apple also introduced a new application called iBooks Author that allows users to create books to publish in the iBookstore.
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