E-book Titles Nearly Settled For iPad Debut
What's going to happen when readers want e-books on April 3?
Up until a few days ago, it was anybody's guess as Amazon, makers of the phenomenally successful Kindle, and Apple, who will unleash iPad on the public Saturday, engaged in a tussle with publishers to get publishing rights and best prices. Even before iPad loomed on the scene, prices for e-books had become a controversy, with Amazon duking it out with several publishers who wanted to increase the normally $9.95 price for all e-books to $12.95 and higher.
The fight ended when Macmillan Publishing wrested away price control from Amazon.com. Thus, the competition from Apple and Barnes & Noble will now result in more realistic (for publishers and authors) book prices. Not more realistic for the consumers, however — many who bought the Kindle with the promise that all e-books would be $9.95.
Think things are confusing? Take a look at Angelology, a highly regarded novel by Danielle Trussoni that looks headed for best-seller status. It was set at $14.95, one dollar less than the hardcover copy last week. That was enough to put anyone off the e-book. Then something happened with all the wrangling involving the Viking Press or iPad (but we will never know the details because book companies keep information close). Now it's back down to $9.99.
But don't get complacent. Publishers have been talking about the $12.95 price point for some of their bigger authors and then planning to increase the e-book price once the book makes it to the New York Times Bestseller List, according to online publication Publishers Lunch. In other words, on the Kindle, publishers seem to be getting away with whatever they want.
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