Looks like the days of lugging around heavy textbooks in your raggedy JanSport are so yesterday, as Apple upgrades its iBooks platform: distributing electric versions of standard high-school books. Senior VP for Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller introduced iBooks 2 during Apple’s Education Event at the Guggenheim Museum in NYC today, which is set to offer an interactive learning experience through the use of videos, animations, and touchscreen gestures on the iPad.
Publishing partners already include textbook staples Pearson, McGraw-Hill and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, with DK Publishing being persuaded to join the project. “Education is deep in our DNA and has been from the very beginning,” Schiller said, after mentioning the US decline in education. Titles are expected to be priced at $14.99 or less.
Oddly enough, Schiller made no mention of how many books would be available. In addition, the idea of many students dishing out $500 for a iPad has also come into question, leaving many analysts concerned about the future success of Apple’s iBooks platform. However, Schiller did mention that schools would be able to buy books for its students and issue redemption codes to them. So consider an iPad a future investment that’ll lightening the load on the go. Those fortunate enough to own one can purchase books starting today at Apple’s iBookstore.
