As specumalated in yesterday’s Giz Explains, Barnes & Noble is reportedly coming out with an iPad version, which will, interestingly, include B&N’s bookstore. Really?
While Apple’s been allowing micropayments within apps, I’m really curious to see if they’re going to allow an entire store selling content be built into third-party apps on the device, even given the fact that Apple’s own iBooks app – and included bookstore – is a separate app that you have to download. That Barnes & Noble is trying this, though, isn’t surprising – they’re way behind Amazon, along with everybody else, so getting their platform and books on as many devices as possible is the obvious way to go. I’d expect Amazon to show up as well, since the hardware is secondary, really, to getting people hooked on the platform. Letting people read on their Kindle, their phones, computer and tablets is really the only way it’s viable.
Even if these apps hit the iPad, stores intact, how long before Apple’s more unsavoury competitive instincts flare up? [Electronista