Feedbooks outstrips Apple in ebook downloads
By Paul Biba
There are numbers, and then there are numbers that mean something.
Engadget has reported that 1.5 million ebooks were downloaded to the iPad in the first 28 days after its introduction. Wow! the press says. “It shows that the iBookstore will rule the world”.
Not.
I picked up a Tweet from Hardrien Gardeur of Feedbooks, the site that specializes in public domain and original books from new authors. Get ready ….. here it comes ….
Feedbooks distributed 2.6 million books during the same period!!
Enough said.
May 3rd, 2010 at 10:36 am
I LOVE Feedbooks and use it all the time in my Stanza and IbisReader apps. But….
everything we get from there is free.
How many of the downloads from iBooks were free?
Free downloads will always surpass paid-for channels.
And FeedBooks is on how many devices, while iBooks is just on one?
It’s true FeedBooks had more downloads but we know it’s all about the $$, so if iBooks is producing more $$ for publishers and authors with fewer downloads, who is really winning?
Feedbooks is better networked and rocks. But iBooks is about to be unleashed on the iPhone when OS4 drops next month. Matching it up more evenly in distribution.
And again, I fully support FeedBooks and what they do, they have some really good content and are a solid alternative to anything “mainstream”, but we need to be smart about positioning them so they stay as such.
May 3rd, 2010 at 10:37 am
The iBookstore will be a big flop. iPad owners are not big readers. Those who are already have a Kindle or the like and will continue to buy their books from Amazon et al, and download them to the ipad.
Also,as I suspected, most new iPad owners downloaded a few books to try out the system and app. AND, MOST pof those were probably free books. So, again,. iBookstore loses. no surprises here.
May 3rd, 2010 at 10:44 am
I have two friends with iPads who also have Kindles. Both have said they prefer to read books on their Kindles. The iPad makes it too easy to do other stuff besides read books. Anecdotal stories, I know, but I have a feeling they’re not the only people who feel this way.
May 3rd, 2010 at 11:04 am
I suspect Apple after selling 1 million iPads in the last 28 days will schedule a bit of time to cry over iBooks not catching on immediately, while iPad users get used to iTunes and working with playlists for all their existing eBooks, after they count all their money and take it to the bank.
May 3rd, 2010 at 11:46 pm
There are numbers, then there are numbers that mean something. Here it comes: 1 million iPads sold within the first four weeks. As that number grows, so won’t the iBooks base. It’s a wee bit early to crow about numbers, especially when comparing free vs. paid services. Yes, many of those iPad owners will never do anything more than flip through Winnie the Pooh and say “Oooh, nifty”, but more still are downloading books and loading their iPads with free ePubs from all over the web.
May 9th, 2010 at 1:25 pm
@Bing. That’s what I just did. I downloaded a bunch of free classics that are always part of my digital collection on any device I have owned since my old Pocket PC. However, I prefer reading on my phone, since it weighs less, can be dimmed more, and I can hold it comfortably. A smaller screen equals less eye strain at night for me.