Google Editions Set to Launch Before End of Year
When Google Editions was first conjured up last summer, the impression was that it would be launched by the time fall rolled around. The time came and went, and for much the same reason that we can only assume Google Music has been delayed, the search giant’s eBook store has been subject to the lengthy process of securing rights from publishers and growing a database of quality content before launch. According to a recent report in the WSJ, talks are near wrapping up, and with this Google Editions should see the light of day before the end of 2010.
Editions takes a slightly different approach to eBook commerce by forgoing a single store or device for accessing content and allowing purchased books to be read anywhere and in as many ways as possible. This not only means you can access your book collection from any browser, but it should also no doubt come with a first-party reader for Android devices. With Android tablets set to rain down on the market next year, Editions could be a big selling point.
The other thing that makes Editions appealing is the ability for independent book stores to gain a footing in the eBook market by leveraging the service on their own online storefronts. Books purchased through third party sources would be just as accessible.
I have never been a huge eBooks kind of person. As a writer and avid reader, nothing beats the feel of a real book (or the smell), but Google Books has really won me over. If Editions is anything like Books but with the option to purchase an electronic copy instantly, sign me up.
[via Wall Street Journal]