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Rumor: Apple Holding Talks with HarperCollins Over Potential Tablet Content

finalharper

I’d like to think that the upcoming Apple tablet could save both the publishing and journalism industries as well as paint your house on the weekend if need be.

Per the Wall Street Journal, Apple and publisher HarperCollins are reportedly conducting talks over possible e-book offerings for Apple’s new tablet device, with pricing that would follow the current App Store model.

The deal could offer enhanced e-books containing video, author interviews, and social-networking applications. These releases could command a higher price than the current e-book standard of US$9.99 for a typical bestseller.

It is unknown as of now if the e-books would be offered though the existing iTunes store or if a specialized e-book storefront would be created.

“Amazon created the e-book market by making the US$9.99 price for best sellers an integral part of its introduction of the Kindle e-book reader in November 2007,” the report said. “But the Kindle lacks color and video capabilities, two elements that are likely to be crucial to the future of enhanced e-books.

“Amazon could be shut out of enhanced e-books until the Kindle offers those features. The standard Kindle costs US$259, however, while analysts expect Apple’s tablet to cost about US$1,000.”

Back in early December, it was reported that Apple was offering publishers a deal that would allow them to release their content on other online stores, such as Amazon’s Kindle or the forthcoming multi-publisher digital storefront that would offer content from Conde Nast, Hearst, News Corp., Time, and Meredith for use on portable digital devices. It was reported then that Apple was planning on splitting the revenue 30/70 (Apple/publisher), compared to the 50/50 split offered by Amazon for publishing to its Kindle e-reader.

Apple is expected to announce a long-awaited tablet device at its upcoming January 27th media event at the Yerba Buena in San Francisco. Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.