As the publishing industry concluded four days of digital talk time in its annual national convention, Amazon.com ‘s Kindle was seen as the clear, if not dominant, player in the growth of electronic market on the corner Barnes & Noble is considered a pleasant surprise and Apple iPad performance.
“They had a respectful relationship, but we think Apple can do better,” said Penguin Group (USA) CEO David Shanks this week at BookExpo America, which ended on Thursday at the Jacob Javits Center. “We still have not moved from their e-books on its iTunes store, and can have a search capability iBookstore much better.”
“The iPad offers many audio visual applications that reading is not given as much priority as it is special (read only) devices like the Kindle and the corner,” says literary agent Richard Curtis.
Over 20 million iPads IPAD and 2 were sold last year, and iBookstore is also available in more than 160 million additional devices through the iPhone and the iPod. However, publishers and agents say that Apple is not yet the balance that Amazon.com, which had expected. They estimate that Apple’s sales are 10 percent of the electronic market, well below the 60 percent believe that 65 percent of the Amazon. Editors and agents say that electronic books are at least 15 percent to 20 percent of total sales, more than double a year ago.
Apple spokesman Jason Roth declined to comment on specific criticisms, but said the iBookstore had more than 150,000 titles – an Amazon spokesman says the Kindle store has more than 950,000 – and over 100 million books have been downloaded iBookstore world through. He did not say how many were free downloads of books. IBookstore selections in the much improved this year, when Random House Inc., Editor of Stieg Larsson and John Grisham, among others, agreed to sell through Apple after resolving differences over the price.
Brian Murray, CEO of HarperCollins Publishers, iBookstore said sales were “a little lower than expected” but praised the IPAD media as a breakthrough that allowed publishers to sell books, electronic pictures and “improved” and “books that include video and sound.
“Certainly there are areas for improvement, as there are with all distributors of books and the device,” he said. “But the promise of another platform, where you can find the books remains true today. The potential is enormous.”
A large number of 2 to Amazon has arisen, but Barnes & Noble, which launched in late 2009 around the corner skepticism by the name of “Corner” for design. David Pogue in the New York Times had mocked the Nook “refers to the software and the device called an anesthetized slug. ”
However, Barnes & Noble, has worked to improve the Nook and offer various types, including a touchscreen version announced this week. The company promotes Nook tirelessly through its hypermarkets and now has about 25 percent of online sales, publishers say.
David Young, CEO of Hachette Book Group, said the success of the Corner was “frankly surprised” him. Random House CEO Markus Dohle admitted he was initially “a little concerned” about the Nook, but Barnes & Noble, praised for his “extraordinary achievement.”
Even the American Booksellers Association, the trade group that represents independent retailers, went to congratulate his rival for a long time.
“He has been married to the physical location in the e-book device in a way that is profound,” said Len Vlahos, director of the association of operations.
BookExpo America is a combination of exhibition, conference, lectern and family meeting with agents, authors, booksellers and publishers met under the roof and inside and outside the Javits Center Wi-Fi erratic. The convention is also a testament to the infinite variety and surprise of the editors, in a stand this week by the Lebanese Ministry of Culture was in the hallway of an exhibition of American Girl products.
Amongst the “rumors” books were the novels “The Art of Fielding” by Chad Harbach and Erin Morgenstern “The Night of the circus.” Buzz includes the words “zoo”, ie a selection in the store that customers eBook devices are allowed to drive, and “showroom”, the last step by the value of a physical, “bricks and mortar” store.
Members of the booksellers association has increased for two consecutive years after decades of decline, and independents are encouraged by Nook, because I think it shows that the old library, “showrooms,” remain the best way to promote book.
With the closing of borders and Barnes & Noble stores make more room for the Nook, independent publishers seeking to ensure the tradition of spontaneous discovery, a transient detection of a new version of a browser window or find a book Pocket-old, on a shelf.
“The independents are going to be fine, I sincerely believe,” said David Young of Hachette. “We care about all the physical stores, including chains, because they are our showrooms.” S a good term and one at the moment can not be replicated online. ”
Independents are not ignoring e-books. About 250 have signed up with Google and e-book store, which opened last December and Vlahos Booksellers Association praised as a valuable addition. Synonymous with Internet search, Google has positioned itself as a bridge between different types of devices and retailers, a peacemaker in the electric field.
Some publishers and booksellers would like more noise, however. Brian Murray, Harper Collins says he is disappointed with sales of Google, that even Google acknowledges having been small so far. In a conference hosted by Google, booksellers questioned the reluctance of the advertising company.
Google’s director of strategic partnerships, Tom Turvey, said spending “lots and lots” of money on the ads was unlikely. But he said the shop was relatively new and is confident that sales will increase as more readers heard of it, either online, through e-book device or the promotion of libraries. Michael Norris of Simba Google criticized for not having “thought that his strategy e-book through the whole way.” But Turvey said the Google store has been developed as planned.
“My team is in the book business,” says Turvey, a former director of online sales and marketing at HarperCollins. “We understand the issues extremely well.”
