Publish with iBooks, Get a Discount on Apple Hardware

[InklingBooks]

Here is what may prove to be very good news for authors and small publishers. TUAW is reporting that Apple is giving some ‘rather hefty discounts’ to some (possible all) iBooks publishers in their new iTunes VIP program.

Some sharp eyes have once again discovered something new and cool in Apple-land. Apple appears to be offering rather hefty discounts to some (possibly all) iBooks publishers as part of a new iTunes VIP program. Information is still developing on this front.

Made available through iTunes Connect, these discounts appear to be exclusive to the iBooks program. Discounts range from $500 off the base Mac Pro down to $60 off the base mini. As with previous programs of this nature, Apple places a limit on the kinds and quantity of hardware affected. The discount is for two computers, two iPods (which appear to include iPads, etc.) and one Apple TV.

tuaw.com/2012/04/12/apple-in … ublishers/

Also at iPodNN

ipodnn.com/articles/12/04/12 … p.program/

Note that this story is still developing, so what Apple intends remains unclear.

This is an encouraging sign that Apple may be using some of their huge reserves to improve the Mac/iOS experience, in this case by enlarging the ebook selection available from the iBookstore. I’d love for them to one-up Amazon and change the author/publisher slice of the retail price from 70% to 80%.

Sigh, yet another reason for me to format my book-length The Lord of the Rings chronology in iBooks Author for the iBookstore.

–Michael W. Perry, Untangling Tolkien