Three million iPhones sold in just the FIRST month: Imagine all the e-book possibilities
Do the arithmetic. Fortune says Apple moved three million iPhones in just the first month, and it notes that the Motorola Razr, another touch-screen hit, has sold 100 million units.
Now think about just three percent of the iPhoner buys using e-book apps. That’s a lot of new readers. I’ve just pulled the percentage out of the air. It could be higher. Who says Amazon is the only place where the action is?
What’s more, unlike paper books, e-books travel over the Net. As a writer, I’m excited over the new markets on the other side of the world. I’m polishing The Solomon Scandals so it will look good not just in print but also on an iPhone and similar hardware. In a future post I’ll share a few thoughts on writing for E.
On the iPhone app front: Techmeme round up, including a GigaOm piece headlined iPhone App Downloads are up. What about their usage? Most of the apps I download I don’t use. Others, such as the Stanza e-reader, are already part of my routine as a reader and writer. Because Stanza lets me use a wide variety of fonts, it’s great for previewing Scandals as it would look with various settings.
iPhone screens vs. E Ink: I can read hour after hour off my iPod Touch without suffering eye strain from the glowing LCD. I know some people would disagree. Let ‘em. I myself have contrast problems with E Ink, while others don’t. So here’s to a wide variety of devices being available. Or to people using more than one, as I do. Sometimes I am in an E Ink mood.
August 12th, 2008 at 9:51 am
So reading books on the iPhone — is the book stored locally? Or just on the network?
August 12th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Actually, the Razr doesn’t/didn’t have a touchscreen. The article uses it as an example of another “trend setting” mobile.
August 12th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
@Brian: Locally, on the iP/iPT. And Stanza and eReader allow you to download direct from sites on the Net.
>>>Most of the apps I download I don’t use.
This is a false issue. How many apps does someone really *need* to use *every* day (the measurement I’ve seen flogged as if it meant something!).