Apple’s New E-Textbook Platform Enters an Already Crowded Field

Chronicle of Higher Education – Jeffrey R. Young

19-Jan

Genevieve Shore, CIO and director of digital strategy for Pearson, said in an interview at the event that Apple’s platform was just one of many the publisher was using to distribute its e-textbooks. “We kind of call it ‘flat content.’ It will go to whatever channel students tell us to go to,” she said. “What Apple brings to it is it’s beautiful,” she said, referring to the slick look of the book-building tool and the resulting iPad books. Does she worry that professors could use the new free book-making software to put publishers out of business? Not at all, she insisted. In fact, she pointed out that Pearson has offered a custom-textbook service in print for 30 years, and also offers a digital build-your-own textbook system. Other major publishers already offer similar services as well.

http://chronicle.com/article/Apples-New-E-Textbook/130399/