One tried, tested, and true business
practice is to create a product and market it as though there is no better way
of doing what that product does. In fact, that’s the most popular business model
around. So it’s nice to see Amazon taking a slightly different tact by
releasing the Kindle app for the iPhone. While it still builds upon the name
synonymous with the large-screen dedicated e-book reader, it’s still a
recognition that e-books can and should be available on multiple platforms.
While you may say, and rightly so, that
this is merely Amazon cashing in on the preinstalled iPhone fanbase it still
upholds that the message transcends the medium. Though Amazon isn’t exactly in
competition with the touch-screen cell phone, there is still potential for the
iPhone to generate a substantial e-book following. Thus, rather than posturing
the Kindle as the be-all end-all for e-books, Amazon Kindle vice-president Ian
Freed said in a recent statement “Kindle for iPhone and iPod touch is a great
way for customers to catch up on their current book wherever they are, like in
line at the grocery store or between meetings.” This free gesture, as the app
is gratis through the iTunes App Store, shows a commitment first
and foremost to the content. And it’s even designed to work in conjunction with
those that already own a Kindle.
If you’ve already purcahsed e-books for the
Kindle they can easily be synced with an iPhone or iPod Touch (even
transferring where you left off in each book between devices) and reading them
on the smaller touch screen, while not as accessible as the Kindle, is still
pretty effective. This is not to say that one needs a Kindle to enjoy the
iPhone version, but Amazon hasn’t exactly made it easier either. For starters,
there is no built-in ability to purchase books within the app itself. And
what’s more, the MobileSafari experience of purchasing e-books through Amazon
is just plain cumbersome, to the point that Amazon actually recommends that you
use a computer to purchase your texts.
Despite the frustrating purchasing model,
the app handles e-booksthemselves intelligently. There certainly isn’t any
creativity taking place as all the functions (such as bookmarking, jumping to specific pages, etc) are rather standard across
iPhone e-book readers, but everything that has to work, works. However, at the
end of the day what is going to truly distinguish the Kindle app from other
e-book readers on the iPhone is Amazon’s catalogue of e-books. As one of the
largest book retailers in North America, Amazon far out muscles the other e-book reader apps as far as
available texts. And what’s more, they’ve spent years perfecting their craft on
the Kindle. With a price tag of free, Kindle users should seriously consider the
app. However, if you’re just toying with the idea of getting into e-books on
your iPhone, you might want to wait and see if Amazon releases a better
purchasing method for the mobile devices.
