Are iAds Headed for iBooks?

Ed Sutherland ()

Are iAds Headed for iBooks?

We’ve seen commercials intrude into nearly every part of our lives, from television, games and the internet. Now comes word Apple is considering injecting its iAds into eBooks. But how long can publishers hold out as they search for a lifeboat?

With the iPad and the plummeting prices of ebook readers “what room is left for publishers’ profits,” asks the Wall Street Journal. The report views iAds in e-books as inevitable.

Another report suggests the ads will be tailored to the reader, using the data Apple gathers from your shopping habits, or the iPhone games you download.

While the benefit for readers is still uncertain, the extra revenue could help struggling authors. The concept isn’t foreign. Already, game developers insert ads in applications available for download by iPhone or iPad users.

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[9to5Mac, WSJ, CNET]

8 comments »

About the author

Ed Sutherland

Ed Sutherland is a veteran technology journalist who first heard of Apple when they grew on trees, Yahoo was run out of a Stanford dorm and Google was an unknown upstart. Since then, Sutherland has covered the whole technology landscape, concentrating on tracking the trends and figuring out the finances of large (and small) technology companies.

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  • http://www.grinningidiot.com JAYnLA

    Nope. Never happen. Not with the Kindle option available on the iPad.

    An Ad while you’re reading a book? That simply wouldn’t work for… anyone. That’s called a ‘magazine’, not a book.

    Ads killed my Hulu Plus subscription, and their intrusion would herald my last iBook purchase as well.

  • Kavok

    I agree with JAYnLA. If they put iADs in books I purchase, then I’ll go back to buying the physical books at the bookstore. I’m really getting tired of how advertizing is being put in and on everything these days. Leave me alone and let me read my books in peace.

  • roy

    It seems to me if there’s a race to the bottom in eBook pricing the market could split. A lite version (cheaper, partially supported by ads) and a full version (no adds, higher retail price).

  • ged

    only time will tell.
    I for one would hate it, but recall we adjust fairly easily.

    long live project Gutenberg!

  • Camperton

    Please. God. No.

  • Peter

    I would say no. Apple is a master of elegant timeless design and books clearly fit that description without iAds. Besides, you pay for the books and ebook sales are a market Apple wants to dominate not destroy with ugliness.

  • H

    I guess I’m glad I buy my books from Amazon rather than Apple.

  • J

    Amazon (Kindle) has filed for a patent for Ads on their Kindle reader. Yes ads are a pain, but what if you could have all your books for free?