Apple Books, an e-book distribution service created by Apple Inc., officially launched on October 16, 2018, with its user interface debuting on November 1, 2018, alongside the iOS 12.1 update. In a series of expansions, Apple introduced audiobooks to the platform on February 19, 2019, and subsequently rebranded it from "iBooks" to "Apple Books" on March 27, 2019.
Key Features
Apple Books empowers users to purchase and download e-books from the iTunes Store, as well as access them offline via iCloud. Available in PDF and EPUB formats, it also boasts a reading tracker, enabling readers to monitor time spent and pages covered in a book.
Design Aspects
Aiming to emulate the experience of a physical bookstore, Apple Books’ design includes a "Library" tab for accessing owned or downloaded books and a "Store" tab for exploring and buying new titles. The "Reading Now" tab highlights currently read books, while the "Book Store" tab offers further exploration and purchasing options.
User Experience
The platform is praised for its sleek, intuitive design and the beneficial reading tracker. However, it faces criticism for its limited e-book selection on the iTunes Store and lack of EPUB format support, restricting users from reading EPUB e-books acquired elsewhere. Additionally, Apple Books lacks features for e-book library management. Despite these limitations, it enjoys popularity and is expected to grow further.
Bottom Line
Apple Books provides a user-friendly digital environment for reading e-books, integrating useful features like a reading tracker. Despite a smaller selection of titles and the absence of EPUB support, its interface and design continue to attract readers.
