Kindle Review – Kindle Fire Review, Kindle 4 Review

Before looking at Android, let’s consider the current three big channels for ebooks -

1. Kindle and Sony i.e. the two main eReaders.  
2. Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch. 
3. The PC and Mac.

That’s to the best of my knowledge and quite frankly PC and Mac have had decades and haven’t done that much.

The big Android question is - Is Android going to provide a fourth big channel for ebooks?

Well, Android might be Very Important for eReading

The first reason is that Mobile Devices and Mobile Internet Usage are exploding and are going to dwarf PCs (in some ways, they already have).

1. Android is set to benefit from this (it’s on the verge of becoming a Top 5 Mobile OS and might go higher).
2. It’s worth noting that Apple’s iPhone and Amazon’s Kindle (due to Kindle for iPhone, Kindle for PC and Stanza) will probably benefit more.

In addition to the general explosion of mobile devices there are some Android specific factors that will help Android spread its reach and impact reading and ebooks -

1. Android is arriving in a lot of Devices. Much more than we realize.
2. All these devices form one giant platform i.e. they can tap into Android Apps and vica versa.
3. Google Books, Google Editions and Google can and will leverage all these devices.  
4. Open works both ways – An eBook company other than Google might be able to take over the Android platform with an eReading innovation.

Well, let’s jump in and look at each of these factors -

Android is going to be Everywhere

While Verizon’s Droid series of phones are the center-piece of the Android invasion, there’s a lot more -

Android Phones

TechCrunch has a good list of Android Phones that are coming out soon or are rumored to. The more interesting ones out of the 23 Android Phones are -

1. Sony Ericsson Rachael. Here’s a video –
2. HTC Tattoo/HTC Click which launched in October on Vodaphone. 
3. Motorola CLIQ which has been available since Oct 19th on T-Mobile and Orange UK. 
4. Motorola Droid (Verizon is putting a lot of marketing muscle behind it). 
5. Samsung Moment (InstinctQ) from Sprint starting November 1st. 
6. Motorola Heron (IronMan) from AT&T in November. 
7. Dell’s Android Phone being released in China.

Android is going to be available on a lot of different phones and on nearly every carrier.

Android eReaders

We also have a lot of Android based eReaders being released -

1. Barnes and Noble Nook.
2. Entourage Edge. 
3. Spring Design’s Alex.  

That’s 3 Android based eReaders in just the last few weeks. It would not be a surprise to see 5 or 10 Android based eReaders debut in 2010.

Android Netbooks and Laptops

1. Sony is introducing a line of Android Chrome OS laptops next year. Sony is also rumored to be working on an Android Walkman and an Android based Navigator.
2. Android based laptop from Spanish company Airis.  
3. The Acer D250 netbook.
4. Asus had an Android netbook which is stalled or delayed.  

Android is making so many inroads into mobile devices, everyone is noticing. The eBook Test has a post on Android – The Coming Android Mini-Tablet Flood.

It’s worth noting that Android will have stiff competition from Windows in netbooks and laptops – especially with the arrival of Windows 7 and given users’ familiarity with Windows.  

Why are so many companies taking up Android?

1. It’s free.
2. Phone and Netbook Manufacturers can customize it as they like.
3. It brings the promise of Apps.
4. It brings the promise of Openness.
5. Companies are desperate to do anything/something to counter Windows.
6. Companies are desperate to do something/anything to counter the iPhone.
7. Windows Mobile has really messed up.
8. iPhone OS isn’t available to anyone else.

What’s even more important than the advent of all these Android Devices is the fact that they are one platform.

Android is going to connect all these devices together as a single App Platform

Android will be one platform that unites phones, netbooks, laptops and other devices.

Android Apps have struggled so far. However, every new device adds users to the common pool.

• At some point the Android phones, netbooks, eReaders will all add up to lots and lots of users.
• Android Apps will begin to see enough traction to get more developers on board.
• Lots of iPhone App Developers will start porting apps over.

Which brings us to the possibilities for reading apps -

1. Every author/publisher can sell their book as an App. 
2. Every ebook store can add their own ebook app.
3. It’s open so neither the carrier nor Google can block apps (in theory). 
4. Google does take 30% of revenue on paid apps (like Apple does). However, it’s less than what authors/publishers would pay retailers etc.

Android might end up becoming a top 5 channel for ebooks. Just due to the platform and the possibilities.

Android is going to be connected to Google and Google’s eBook offerings

While the Android marketplace and Android Apps are interesting, the real power lies with the Operating System Defaults.

Google understands this very well (Hal Varian or one of their other Professors wrote a paper on this).

Google will basically make sure that -

1. Google Books. 
2. Google Editions eBooks.
3. Google’s eReader app (if/when it comes out). 

All get prime placement and people have them as the default options.

Every single Android device will be a sales channel for Google eBooks. It’ll ship as the default and since carriers aren’t selling books they’ll leave it in there.

Android can be used by Companies to launch their own ebook initiative.

The fact that Android is open means that any company can try to take over Android’s eBook channel.

What are the different ways -

1. Buy up the 2-3 best-selling ebook apps.  
2. Create a really good book search app. 
3. Create a Books Related App that becomes very popular and then add-in ebook purchases. 

There are a few challenges though -

1. The 30% cut to Google for Android Paid Apps means Apps will have to use Browser based buying.
2. There will be so many different customized versions of Android and so many different devices.

Android creates a Giant Platform and Early Entrants Have the Best Chance

Android is going to create (potentially) a fourth big channel for ebooks. The big opportunity is to enter early and establish a top position amongst ebook apps. 

You could use the fact that there’s no approval process to introduce the most innovative, most dangerously bright, most paradigm changing ebook apps.  

Then you can make money selling ebooks to Android users or let Amazon or Google buy you out.

It’ll be interesting to see how open the different carriers make their Android Phones. If it’s a lot we might see an entirely new company swoop in and become the king of Android eBooks.

Filed under: eBook Reader Devices Tagged: | android ebooks, android ereader