The iPad may not usher in E-Textbooks

Why am I not hearing about plans for real E-Textbooks being developed or released. Why was there so much talk of them at the beginning of the year coinciding with the announcement of the iPad? Was that talk just about satisfying the legislators who were politically concerned about the strain of expensive textbooks on higher education. But really, nothing seems to be happening. If you dig you still hear all the excuses about a complicated business model. But you also hear the same old ridiculous ideas like time bombing the digital copies or still demanding nearly the same prices. So are the textbook publishers going to step up to the plate? I don’t think they are, I think they are content to manipulate the market as long as they can with the belief that they will always control the textbook industry.

In talking with faculty I get the sense that they are ready for a change. They realize that they have access to equivalent digital material that used to be the foundation of their textbooks. Doesn’t mean they want to spend the time to build out a new course, but they are open to alternatives. One alternative that may not be that far away are the various forms of self or university controlled digital publishing. Distribution is not an issue, Amazon or Apple present excellent options or maybe Google ends up winning it all. Maybe the bookstores grab the action as in Follett’s CafeScribe. Pearson Education could be well positioned. CourseSmart’s may be able to go with the flow.

The answer may lie with the question of whether textbooks are really needed anymore. Let’s face it, all of the information that exists in most textbooks is available digitally throughout our Internets. Devices such as the iPad may not usher in the E-Textbook era, they might eliminate it. 

May 31, 2010 - Wired Epicenter
Amazon Vs. Apple be Dammed:  Publishers Pine for a Universal e-Book Format

Where is Apple Going?

Most questions lately that I am asked about Apple have to do with obvious limitations imposed by the iPad. And yes this has been well documented. The iPad could easily become the killer academic computing device, but it does not need to for another year.

Apple is currently experiencing their greatest success in adoption rate of MacBooks by universities. They really should ride that out until other market factors force them to upgrade the iPad to be a self sufficient computing device. This is a transition year for E-Textbooks so Apple does not want to put the cart in front of the horse. I also do not think Apple really knows how it will all play out. If they could force the world to always tether an iPad to a computer then they most likely would benefit greatly from that computer selection. But Apple is foremost a business that is making the smartest business decisions. They will lay the groundwork for many of the iPad needs by boosting the iPhone line. Within a year all of the iPad issues will be solved and they will begin to position the iPad as stand-alone computing device. But in that time period they will also acquire a vast number of new customers that will be primed for their next generation of computing devices that will most likely be entertainment driven. And do not underestimate the power that the eventual stand-alone iPad will have.

Apple is extremely well positioned for the technology buying trends for the future as well as for the advertising and entertainment trends. Think of the market that will be created by the many million new iPad customers who will be ready to seamlessly link their iPad into a more powerful “Entertainment” device. But that market foundation must still evolve with vast improvements to our Internet grid and lot’s of content copyright definition.

There are many who bash Apple for their proprietary agenda. But are you bashing from behind or ahead. I supported Microsoft in their rise as passionately as I may now support Apple. What I support is the technological innovation. When that ends it is time to bash the proprietary control, but during the rise I am willing to jump on board. It is OK to follow a leader if they are actually leading you to something better. Apple’s power and influence will dwarf what Microsoft was ever able to attain. However, Apple’s greatest success may be written by how they deal with their eventual leveling out.