Apple today announced the launch of special “Enhanced Editions” of all seven Harry Potter books, exclusively on iBooks.
Featuring interactive animations, elaborate artwork, custom covers, exclusive annotations by J.K. Rowling, and, of course, the original text, the books can be downloaded individually for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.
Photo: Harry Potter/Apple
“I’m thrilled to see the Harry Potter books so beautifully realised on iBooks for the digital world; the artwork and animations in these enhanced editions bring the stories alive in a delightful new way,” Rowling said in a statement.
Until now, digital e-books of the Harry Potter series was available only through the online Pottermore Shop — making Apple’s announcement all the more exciting.
While not every book calls for the interactive treatment, this is a great illustration of the kind of thing I wish Apple would do more of as a way of setting itself apart from the still-surprisingly-spartan Kindle offerings. Those J.K. Rowling annotations alone are worth the price of admission.
You can download the books here.
Source: Apple
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
