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Apple Books
DeveloperApple
Initial releaseApril 2, 2010; 15 years ago (2010-04-02)
Stable release(s)
iOS4.2.3 / June 3, 2019; 6 years ago (2019-06-03)[1]
macOS5.2
Written inObjective-C
Operating system
Size31 MB
Available in33 languages[1]
List of languages
English, Arabic, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Norwegian Bokmål, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Traditional Chinese, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese
TypeDigital distribution
LicenseProprietary
Websitewww.apple.com/apple-books/ Edit this on Wikidata

Apple Books (known as iBooks prior to iOS 12 and macOS 10.14 Mojave) is an e-book reading and store application by Apple for its iOS, iPadOS and macOS operating systems and devices. It was announced, under the name iBooks, in conjunction with the iPad on January 27, 2010,[2] and was released for the iPhone and iPod Touch in mid-2010, as part of the iOS 4 update.[3] Initially, iBooks was not pre-loaded onto iOS devices, but users could install it free of charge from the iTunes App Store. With the release of iOS 8, it became an integrated app. On June 10, 2013, at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference, Craig Federighi announced that iBooks would also be provided with OS X Mavericks in Fall 2013.[4][5]

It primarily receives EPUB content from the Apple Books store, but users can also add their own EPUB and Portable Document Format (PDF) files via data synchronization with iTunes. Additionally, the files can be downloaded to Apple Books through Safari or Apple Mail. It is also capable of displaying e-books that incorporate multimedia.[2][6] According to product information as of March 2010, iBooks will be able to "read the contents of any page [to the user]" using VoiceOver.[7][8]

On January 19, 2012, at an education-focused special event in New York City, Apple announced the free release of iBooks 2, which can operate in landscape mode and allows for interactive reading. In addition, a new application, iBooks Author, was announced for the Mac App Store, allowing anyone to create interactive textbooks for reading in iBooks; and the iBooks Store was expanded with a textbook category.[9][10] The iBooks Author Conference, an annual gathering of digital content creators around Apple's iBooks Author, has convened between 2015 and 2017.[11][12][13] Apple discontinued iBooks Author in 2020, its functionality having been integrated into Pages.[14]

In September 2018, iBooks was renamed "Apple Books" upon the release of iOS 12 and macOS Mojave.[15] It features a new variation of the San Francisco typeface known as "SF Serif",[16] which was later revealed to be released in six optical weights under the "New York" name.[17]

History

[edit]

iBooks was announced alongside the iPad at a press conference in January 2010. The store itself, however, was released in America three days before the iPad with the introduction of iTunes 9.1. This was supposedly to prevent too much traffic on Apple's servers, as they have been overloaded with previous releases of the iPhone. On the day of its launch, on March 31, 2010, the iBooks Store collection comprised some 60,000 titles.[18]

On April 8, 2010, Apple announced that iBooks would be updated to support the iPhone and iPod Touch with iOS 4. As a result, iBooks was not supported on first-generation iPhones and iPod Touches.[3]

On June 8, 2010, at the WWDC Keynote, it was announced that iBooks would be updated that month to read PDF files as well as have the ability to annotate both PDFs and eBooks.

As of July 1, 2010, Apple expanded iBooks availability to Canada.

Upon its release for older devices running iOS 4, such as the iPhone 3GS and iPod Touch, iBooks received criticism for its slow performance.[19][20] However, a July 19 update from Apple offered several improvements.[21]

On September 27, 2011, Apple expanded the premium store to Ireland.

On January 19, 2012, Apple announced the release of iBooks 2, which supported interactive textbooks on the iPad; the release of iBooks 2 was accompanied by a new Mac app, iBooks Author.[22]

On October 23, 2012, Apple announced iBooks 3.

On November 13, 2012, Apple was granted the patent "Display screen or portion thereof with animated graphical user interface"[23] for page-turning animation. The page-turning animation was first filed for in December 2011 as ornamental design for a display screen. The patent's illustration shows three different images of a virtual page being turned. One with a corner of a page being turned slightly, the next image with the page halfway turned, and the third showing the page almost entirely turned over.[24] The patent refers to O'Reilly Media and FlippingBook companies that use page-turning animation in eBooks.[23]

On June 10, 2013, Apple announced iBooks for OS X Mavericks.

On October 24, 2013, Apple applied for a patent (since granted) for "Personalizing digital gifts",[25] which describes a novel method for gifting e-books to friends. The patent describes how a user can select the appealing e-book snippet that will bring up a contextual menu containing an option to gift the media to another party.[26]

On November 15, 2013, Apple pushed version 3.2 of iBooks for iOS with a redesigned interface to match the "flat" style of iOS 7, which dropped support for iOS 6 and earlier versions.

On the annual WWDC in 2014, Apple unveiled that iBooks will be a pre-installed app in the next version of the operating system, iOS 8, along with the Podcasts app.

On September 17, 2014, Apple bundled version 4.0 of iBooks for iOS with iOS 8.0. This includes slight changes with the bookstore button (into a persistent navigation bar at the bottom), grouping of books by series in the bookshelf, Auto-night mode theme, as well as small changes to the underlying rendering engine.

On October 20, 2014, Apple bundled version 4.1 of iBooks for iOS with iOS 8.1.

On January 24, 2018, Apple renamed iBooks to Books in the iOS 11.3 beta.[27]

As well as in macOS 10.13.4 beta iBooks to Books on March 5, 2018. It was renamed back to iBooks in a next intermittent 10.13.4 macOS beta, showing some uncertainty about the marketing decision.

In early 2019, Apple renamed the app Apple Books.

On September 19, 2019, Apple included an Audiobooks app with watchOS 6 to play from the Apple Books Audiobook store.

Formats

[edit]

The supported e-book formats of Apple Books are EPUB and PDF.[28] As of version 2.0, it also supports a proprietary iBook format (IBA), generated with the iBooks Author tool. This format is based upon the EPUB format but depends on a custom widget code in the Apple Books app to function.[29]

Features

[edit]

As of version 3, iBooks started to render text written in 18 different languages. Users of the application are able to change the font and text size displayed. Available English fonts are Baskerville, Cochin, Georgia, Palatino, Times New Roman, Verdana, Athelas, Charter, Iowan Old Style and Seravek.[30] Version 5 removed Cochin and Baskerville.[31][32]

Users can adjust screen brightness from within the application.

Words can be selected and searched throughout the book. Definitions of words can also be found upon clicking on the word and selecting 'define' which will give the reader a brief description of what the word means and if there isn't a definition available, the reader can opt to either search on Wikipedia or the web for a definition, an option available even if there is a definition for the word. Readers can also highlight passages and when this is done, the part of the Ebook which deals with the chapters and notes will automatically save the words or sentences which were highlighted, as well as revealing any notes made after highlighting a certain passage, another feature.

Originally, there were three viewing background themes to choose from, except when reading PDF documents. The themes were:[33][34]

  • Normal: black text on a white background
  • Sepia: sepia text on an off-white background
  • Night: light grey text on a black background

With the introduction of iOS 8 in 2014, an additional "Auto-Night Theme" was introduced, which dynamically changes the theme from 'Normal' or 'Sepia' to 'Night' and vice versa based on the ambient light conditions.

With the introduction of iOS 9 in 2015, a fourth background theme was added: Gray: light grey text on a dark gray background.

Apple Books also stacks books that belong to a series when the user is on the "All Books" screen. When selected, the books included in the series are shown in the order in which they were released, including books in the series that the user has not purchased. The prices of the unpurchased books are displayed on the upper right corner of the book "ear-marked" in green. Tapping the unpurchased book takes the user directly to the Apple Books store allowing for quick purchase.

There are three page layouts: Book, Full Screen, and Scroll. In Book or Full Screen layout, pages are turned by tapping or dragging the page, animated to imitate the appearance of a paper book. In Scroll, there is no page turning, and the book appears as continuous text, read vertically like a web browser.

Until May 2011[35] the Apple Books app (under name iBooks) included a free copy of Winnie-the-Pooh, the 1926 book by A. A. Milne, in order to get the user's library started.

In macOS Monterey, released in late 2021, Apple added a Cover tag to user-editable metadata tags for books, while removing other editable tags for Year, Category, Comments, and Description. This coincided with the Mac version of the app being ported from the iOS/iPadOS version using Catalyst.

Apple Books Store

[edit]

The Apple Books Store (formerly iBook Store) is an ePub content sales and delivery system that delivers eBooks to any iOS device such as the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. It does not currently support either the downloading or reading of Apple Books directly on Windows or Linux distributions, but it does support the downloading and reading of Apple Books on OS X Mavericks and later.[36]

Prior to the unveiling of the iPad, publishers Penguin Books, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan Publishers, and Hachette Book Group USA committed to producing content for the Apple Books Store (under name iBooks Store). Additional publishers were invited to participate on the day of the product announcement, January 27, 2010.[37] The Apple Books Store also provides access to the 30,000+ free books available from Project Gutenberg,[38] and it provides content channeled through Draft2Digital or Smashwords, allowing independent authors and publishers to self-publish.[39]

The day before the iPad event, Terry McGraw, the CEO of McGraw-Hill, appeared to divulge information to Erin Burnett on CNBC about the upcoming iPad release.[40] This was quickly picked up and disseminated by rumor sites and eventually mainstream media outlets as revelation of features of the iPad. McGraw Hill was not included in the iPad presentation at the Apple media event and there was speculation that the exclusion was in response to this release of information.[41] However, McGraw-Hill has stated that the information disclosed by McGraw was not privileged, and that the company had not intended to participate in the event.[42]

In 2011, an Apple spokesperson announced that "We are now requiring that if an app offers customers the ability to purchase books outside of the app, that the same option is also available to customers from within the app with in-app purchase."[43] Due to the 30% revenue share that Apple receives from the in-app purchase mechanism, the financial viability of competing bookstore apps run by other book retailers is uncertain, even though in many countries, the Apple Books Store still does not provide consumers access to any e-books except for free works, such as ones that are in the public domain. Apple's competitor Amazon.com updated its iOS Kindle app in July 2013 to bypass the 30% revenue share by requiring the user to purchase content using the Kindle Store's website instead of using the Kindle app; users can still get free e-books or samples while using the app.[44]

iBooks Author

[edit]
iBooks Author
Original authorApple
Initial releaseJanuary 19, 2012; 13 years ago (2012-01-19)
Final release
2.6.1[45] / September 24, 2018; 7 years ago (2018-09-24)
Operating systemmacOS
SuccessorPages (word processor)

Steve Jobs told biographer Walter Isaacson that:[13]

The process by which states certify textbooks is corrupt. But if we can make the textbooks free, and they come with the iPad, then they don't have to be certified. The crappy economy at the state level will last for a decade, and we can give them an opportunity to circumvent that whole process and save money.

— Steve Jobs

After Jobs's death, in 2012, Apple released iBooks 2, which added support for interactive textbooks on the iPad. These textbooks can display interactive diagrams, audio, video, quizzes, HTML, and 3D content,[46][14][47] and support highlights, notes, and annotations, which can be viewed in an "index card"-like interface. Apple argued that these iPad textbooks would be more engaging for students than paper textbooks.[48] Apple simultaneously released a free Mac app, iBooks Author, which could be used to create these interactive textbooks in WYSIWYG fashion.[49] Apple's launch partners included education publishers Pearson, McGraw-Hill and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, whose textbooks were available in a new Textbooks section of the iBookstore.[48]

iBooks Author introduced two proprietary file formats:

  • .iba files is its native file format, which can be opened and edited in iBooks Author. These files are zip archives disguised as Mac bundles, and store their data in an XML file.[50]
  • .ibooks is the format for exported iBooks Author documents, which can be opened by the iBooks app on iPhone, iPad and Mac. This format is a proprietary extension of EPUB3, and can only be read with the iBooks app on Apple devices.[50]

TechRadar's Steve Paris called iBooks Author "incredibly simple to use", but noted a few bugs in the first public release, and criticized the fact that it only supported H.264 video files, despite iPads being compatible with more formats.[51] Macworld called it an "impressive" tool, but said it was "constrained" by its exclusive compatibility with iPads.[52] iBooks Author's license agreement was controversial upon release, for stating that documents created with the tool could only be sold for a fee if they were accepted and exclusively distributed by Apple.[53][54][55] Apple backtracked a few weeks later, in an updated license agreement.[56] Its proprietary file format was also criticized by Ed Bott of ZDNet, who compared it to Microsoft's "embrace, extend, extinguish" strategy.[57] In contrast, Serenity Caldwell of Macworld lauded iBooks Author's additional features over EPUB authoring software.[52] Apple added support for EPUB export to iBooks Author in 2015, although textbooks exported in EPUB supported fewer features than iBooks textbooks.[14]

Notable books created using iBooks Author include How to Say Cheese, Physics in Motion, NASA's Destination: Jupiter.[13] E.O. Wilson's Life On Earth was also released for free as an interactive textbook.[58]

Between 2015 and 2017, an annual iBooks Author Conference was held; Tidbits reports that some authors called the tool "best in class", with no equivalent on any other platform, but that Apple had "let the entire iBooks Author ecosystem stagnate". Author Denise Clifton reported that despite the iBooks Author version of her book being the "best and most advanced", it "sold fewer copies than any other" edition. The most downloaded interactive textbook on the iBooks Store was only downloaded 3,000 times in total, despite being free.[13]

In 2020, Apple abandoned iBooks Author, and recommended that authors use Apple's Pages word processor instead. In the intervening years, Apple had built most of iBook Author's functionality into Pages, and the latter can export these books in standard EPUB format rather than the proprietary iBooks Author format. However, as of 2020, Pages only supported image galleries, videos, and audio, and lacked iBooks Author's more advanced features.[14]

Controversy

[edit]

Some critics have stated that the Apple Books (under name iBooks) interface is a near-exact replica of Classics by Andrew Kaz and Phill Ryu, released over a year prior and even featured in Apple's own TV commercials. Apple has made no acknowledgment of this.[59][60][61]

Trademark dispute

[edit]

In June 2011, Apple was sued by New York publisher John T. Colby over the use of the term "iBook".[62] Colby claims to be the owner of a trademark on the term "ibooks" as applied to published books, after acquiring the assets of deceased publisher Byron Preiss, who had published a series of sci-fi and fantasy books under the term. Apple had previously used the term "iBook" to refer to a line of laptops that it sold until 2006, but Colby claims exclusive right to the term as applied to published books, including e-books. Apple began using the term "iBooks" in 2010 to refer to e-books sold for the iPad. Byron Preiss published more than 1,000 books under the "ibooks" brand starting in 1999.[63] Apple emerged the victor in the suit. The judge stated: "They have offered no evidence that consumers who use Apple's iBooks software to download ebooks have come to believe that Apple has also entered the publishing business and is the publisher of all of the downloaded books, despite the fact that each book bears the imprint of its actual publisher."[64]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Apple Books

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Apple Books is a proprietary e-book reader and digital distribution platform developed by Apple Inc. for purchasing, downloading, and consuming ebooks and audiobooks. Launched in April 2010 as iBooks alongside the first-generation iPad, it expanded to iPhone and iPod touch with iOS 4 later that year. The app was rebranded as Apple Books in 2018 with the release of iOS 12 and macOS Mojave, featuring a redesigned interface emphasizing reading goals, personalized recommendations, and integration with the Apple ecosystem. Available pre-installed on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and accessible via iCloud for syncing libraries and progress across devices, Apple Books supports EPUB and PDF formats for ebooks, with features like adjustable fonts, night mode, and audiobook playback controls. The platform hosts millions of titles through the Apple Books Store, including bestsellers, classics, and self-published works, while enabling authors to distribute via tools like digital narration for audiobooks. A defining controversy arose from a 2012 U.S. Department of Justice antitrust lawsuit accusing Apple of orchestrating a horizontal price-fixing conspiracy with major publishers to adopt an agency pricing model, which raised ebook prices above Amazon's discounted wholesale rates and was ruled unlawful by federal courts in 2013, with the U.S. Supreme Court upholding the decision in 2016. This case highlighted tensions between Apple's entry into ebooks challenging Amazon's dominance and allegations of anti-competitive coordination to eliminate discounting.

History

Origins and Launch as iBooks (2009–2010)

Apple's development of iBooks originated in late 2009 as part of preparations for the tablet, which had initially resisted pursuing due to skepticism about e-reading on existing devices like the Mac or . Publishers approached Apple to counter Amazon's dominance in the e-book market via Kindle, prompting Jobs to reconsider after internal discussions and demonstrations of potential page-turning animations inspired by illustrations. This shift aligned with Apple's strategy to create a proprietary ecosystem for digital content, leveraging the 's larger screen for a superior reading experience compared to monochrome e-ink devices. iBooks was publicly announced on January 27, 2010, during Apple's iPad unveiling event in , where Jobs demonstrated the app's features including support, adjustable fonts, and realistic page curls. The accompanying iBookstore debuted with titles from five major publishers—Hachette, , Penguin, Macmillan, and —offering around 30,000 books initially, though was absent due to pricing disputes. Apple positioned iBooks as a free app exclusive to at launch, emphasizing color covers, search functionality, and sample chapter downloads to differentiate from competitors. The iPad and iBooks launched in the on April 3, 2010, with the app available as a free download from the alongside the device's Wi-Fi models starting at $499. Initial sales exceeded expectations, with Apple reporting over 300,000 iPads sold in the first week and millions of books downloaded, validating the agency's model of 70% royalties to publishers versus Amazon's 65%. iBooks expanded to and users in June 2010 via the update, broadening accessibility but highlighting limitations on smaller screens compared to the iPad's optimized interface. This period marked Apple's entry into digital publishing, sparking antitrust scrutiny over agency pricing agreements that allowed publishers to set e-book prices.

Expansion and iOS Integration (2011–2017)

In September 2011, the iBookstore expanded its availability to 25 additional European countries, including , , , , , , , and others, broadening access to its digital book catalog for users in those regions. This move followed the initial U.S. and select international launches, enabling more publishers to distribute EPUB-formatted e-books through Apple's ecosystem. On January 19, 2012, Apple released iBooks 2 as a free update to the iBooks app for running or later, introducing support for interactive textbooks with features such as fullscreen rendering, embedded videos, 3D objects, interactive diagrams, and multimedia elements designed to replace traditional print textbooks. Priced at $14.99 or less, these digital textbooks targeted educational markets, with initial partnerships from publishers like Pearson, McGraw-Hill, and offering high school-level content in subjects like and . Concurrently, Apple launched iBooks Author, a free Mac application allowing educators and authors to create and export custom interactive books in the new .ibooks format for distribution via the iBookstore, though exported files carried restrictions preventing sale outside Apple's platform without conversion. Later that year, on October 23, 2012, the iBookstore further expanded to 18 new territories, including , , , and , while iBooks version 3.0 added continuous scrolling for reading, enhanced syncing for collections and reading progress across devices, and social sharing via and . In June 2013, Apple introduced the iBooks app for Mac with , enabling desktop reading and library management synced via , thus integrating the service across iOS and macOS platforms for the first time. Subsequent iOS updates deepened this integration; for instance, (2014) and (2015) improved seamless handoff of reading sessions between iPhone, iPad, and Mac, while maintaining core and PDF support. Around February 2016, Apple updated iBooks for both iOS and macOS to store entire libraries directly in iCloud Drive, facilitating automatic backups, device-independent access, and easier file management without relying solely on the app's internal sync. By in September 2017, iBooks incorporated Files app compatibility for local imports and enhanced search within books, solidifying its role as a native iOS component amid growing competition from platforms like Kindle, though it retained Apple's emphasis on proprietary formats and ecosystem lock-in.

Rebranding to Apple Books and iOS 12 Release (2018)

In June 2018, Apple announced a major redesign and rebranding of its iBooks app to as part of the preview at the (WWDC). The change dropped the "i" prefix to align the app's branding with other mature Apple services like and , reflecting a shift away from the initial "i"-themed nomenclature used in earlier products. The redesign emphasized improved user experience for discovering and reading books and audiobooks on and , described by Apple as the "biggest books redesign ever." Key updates included a cleaner interface with a focus on book cover over the previous translucent shelf design, new tabbed navigation sections such as Reading Now for tracking current reads, for organized collections, Book Store for browsing, and an integrated search function. Enhanced discovery features incorporated personalized recommendations, curated collections, and better integration with the Apple Books Store to promote reading engagement. The core reading interface remained largely unchanged, preserving scrolling, annotations, and font customization options from iBooks, while the library view was renovated for easier management of owned and sample content. Apple Books launched publicly alongside on September 17, 2018, available as a free update for compatible and devices running the new operating system. The rebranding extended to , released later that year, ensuring consistency across Apple's ecosystem, though the primary focus was on mobile enhancements to compete more effectively in the e-book market dominated by rivals like Amazon's Kindle. Early user feedback noted smoother performance on older devices due to 's optimizations, but some reported initial loading issues with the refreshed library.

Updates in the 2020s Including iOS 18 Enhancements

In , released on September 12, 2022, Apple overhauled the reading interface in , replacing the longstanding skeuomorphic page-curl animation with a simpler horizontal slide effect and removing dedicated per-app brightness sliders in favor of system-wide controls. These modifications sought to align the app with iOS's flatter design aesthetic but were criticized by users for diminishing readability cues and complicating navigation, such as inconsistent display of chapter pages on tap. iOS 16.2, issued on December 13, 2022, expanded capabilities by adding ten new Shortcuts actions tailored to , including options to open the current , play or pause the active , skip to previously viewed pages, and modify page navigation styles. This update enabled more programmatic workflows for e-book and audiobook management, addressing prior limitations in integrating with Apple's ecosystem. iOS 17, launched September 18, 2023, introduced no prominent feature additions to Books, with updates centering on stability amid reports of rendering glitches in embedded fonts and themes following installation. User forums documented persistent sync issues and ad placements supplanting the former Reading Now section, though Apple issued patches in subsequent point releases like on December 11, 2023, to mitigate these. With , released September 16, 2024, Books gained price drop notifications, alerting users to reductions in books on their wishlist or previously viewed in the store, a feature intended to facilitate cost savings on digital purchases. The app remained otherwise similar to its iOS 17 iteration, preserving core reading tools while incorporating broader iOS customizations like enhanced icon tinting applicable to the Books app.

Core Features

Reading and Navigation Tools

Apple Books provides adjustable reading interfaces to suit user preferences, including options for font size, typeface selection such as or original publisher fonts, and boldness adjustments, all accessible via the appearance menu at the top of the reading page. Themes like Quiet or Bold allow customization of background and text contrast, with separate controls for brightness. Page navigation defaults to a paginated view simulating physical books, where users turn pages by tapping screen margins or swiping, with transition animations including curl, fast fade, or none; vertical scrolling mode, enabled in appearance settings, offers continuous top-to-bottom flow ideal for PDFs or manga-style content. Navigation tools include a accessed by tapping the menu button and selecting Contents, enabling quick jumps to chapters by dragging along the list or tapping entries. An in-book search function, invoked via the menu, supports queries for words, phrases, or specific page numbers to locate content rapidly. Rounded arrow buttons in the menu facilitate returns to previous reading positions or the last location. Reading progress is tracked automatically, with positions saved upon closing the book, and a progress indicator displayed at the page bottom. Bookmarks, added via the menu's ribbon icon, mark specific pages for later reference and are listed under Bookmarks & Highlights for easy access and navigation by tapping entries. Annotations extend navigation utility through text selection tools: users touch and hold to highlight passages in multiple colors, underline, or add notes, with all annotations compilable and shareable from the Bookmarks & Highlights view, allowing direct jumps to annotated locations. With 18, the Line Guide feature enhances focus by highlighting the active text line while dimming surrounding content; toggled via the menu, its position adjusts dynamically for improved readability during extended sessions. Books with embedded display definitions via the menu's option, and selecting words triggers system-integrated lookups for meanings, etymologies, or translations where available. Orientation lock prevents unintended page turns, and full-screen mode minimizes distractions. These tools sync across Apple devices via , ensuring seamless navigation continuity.

Supported Formats and Media Types

Apple Books primarily supports EPUB (.epub) files as the standard format for ebooks, encompassing both reflowable text layouts for adjustable reading experiences and fixed-layout designs suitable for illustrated or interactive content. This format adheres to the 3 specification, enabling embedded images, audio clips, video, and interactive elements such as quizzes or 3D models in compatible titles. PDF (.pdf) files are also supported for importing and viewing static documents, though they lack the reflowable adaptability of EPUB and may not render interactive features. For audiobooks, Apple Books accommodates M4B (.m4b) files, which include chapter markers and bookmarking capabilities, as well as unprotected (.mp3) files that can be converted or imported directly. Audible-format audiobooks in AAX (.aax) can be imported, provided they are authorized via an , though DRM-protected content from other providers may require additional steps or compatibility checks. The app does not natively support other media types like standalone video files or (.txt) without conversion to .
Format TypeSupported ExtensionsKey Features
Ebooks.epub, .pdfReflowable/fixed layouts, multimedia embeds (), static documents (PDF)
Audiobooks.m4b, .mp3, .aaxChapter navigation, bookmarking, DRM handling

Accessibility and Customization Options

Apple Books integrates with Apple's system-wide accessibility features, enabling compatibility with for screen reading, which allows users with visual impairments to navigate books via gestures and audio feedback. Spoken Content features, such as Speak Screen and Speak Selection, permit the app to read aloud selected text or entire pages, with adjustable speaking rate and voice options configurable in or macOS settings. Additionally, Reader mode provides a full-screen text presentation optimized for listening, supporting custom fonts, layouts, and background colors to enhance readability for users with or low vision. For further accessibility, the app supports dynamic type scaling to automatically adjust font sizes based on device-wide text size preferences, and it accommodates gestures in for quick font or theme changes during reading sessions. Highlighting and note-taking functions work seamlessly with text-to-speech, allowing annotations to be verbalized or exported. Customization options in Apple Books allow users to personalize the reading interface extensively. Readers can select from predefined page themes—including Original, Quiet, Paper, Bold, Calm, and Focus—each altering background colors, text contrast, and margins to suit preferences like reduced in low light. Fonts are adjustable via a choice of typefaces, with sliders for size, boldness, line spacing, and paragraph justification; for instance, enabling Bold Text increases weight across the interface, while custom margins prevent text from extending to page edges. Advanced personalization includes creating custom themes by modifying built-in ones, such as inverting colors or adjusting sepia tones, and enabling Auto-Night Theme to automatically switch to dark mode at sunset based on location data. Users can set reading goals, tracking daily or weekly minutes via timers in the app's Home tab, with progress visualizations to encourage consistent habits; these goals sync across devices via . Library organization features, like custom collections and sortable shelves, further tailor the by grouping books thematically or by progress. All settings apply per-book or globally, with options stored in Books preferences under categories like Reading and Advanced.

Business Operations

Apple Books Store Mechanics

The Apple Books Store operates as a digital marketplace integrated within the Apple Books app on , , macOS, and via the web at books.apple.com, allowing users to discover, preview, and purchase ebooks, audiobooks, and related media using an . Access requires an active with a valid payment method, such as credit cards or , which processes all transactions securely through Apple's billing system. Purchases are non-transferable outside the and are tied to the purchasing , enabling downloads across authorized devices via syncing. Browsing mechanics emphasize curated discovery, with sections for featured titles, top charts (paid and free), New York Times bestsellers, and genre-based categories including , , mysteries, romance, and thrillers. Users can filter by release date, , or popularity, though sub-category depth is limited compared to physical bookstores, relying instead on editor-curated lists and promotional collections to guide exploration. Search functionality prioritizes based on user queries, matching against titles, authors, descriptions, and keywords, with results displaying covers, previews, user reviews, and pricing; however, advanced filters like or exact sub-genres require manual scrolling or repeated searches. Personalized recommendations appear in the "For You" tab, drawing from purchase history, reading habits, and algorithmic suggestions, though users can disable via settings to reduce tailored ads disguised as suggestions. Previews allow sampling up to 10% of content or chapters before purchase, facilitating informed decisions without commitment. Transactions occur via a one-tap "Buy" or "Get" (for free titles) button, with immediate download to the device's and optional Family Sharing for up to six members, where the organizer's payment method covers costs but content remains individually licensed. Content protection employs Apple's (DRM) for most titles, a publisher-optional layer that encrypts files to prevent unauthorized copying or sharing beyond authorized devices, verifiable by a "Protected by " note under the price. DRM-free options exist for select independent or public-domain works, allowing broader compatibility, but the majority enforce ecosystem lock-in to mitigate . Post-purchase, users can request refunds for accidental buys or dissatisfaction through reportaproblem.apple.com, with eligibility typically within 14 days subject to Apple's discretionary review, though approvals are not guaranteed and processed refunds appear on the original payment method within 24-48 hours.

Pricing Model and Publisher Agreements

Apple Books operates under an agency pricing model, in which publishers or authors set the retail price for , while Apple collects payment from consumers and remits 70% of the net sales proceeds to the rights holder after deducting its 30% commission, applicable to all ebook titles regardless of . This structure contrasts with wholesale models used by some competitors, where retailers purchase ebooks at a fixed discount and have over final pricing. The model ensures publishers retain control over pricing to align digital sales with equivalents and protect against deep discounting, though it has been criticized for enabling higher average ebook prices compared to pre-2010 wholesale practices. The agency's origins trace to Apple's 2010 launch of the iBookstore, where the company negotiated agreements with major publishers—initially Macmillan, Penguin, , , and Hachette—to adopt the model, shifting from Amazon's dominant wholesale approach that often featured $9.99 pricing for new releases. These contracts included most-favored-nation (MFN) clauses, requiring publishers to match Apple's prices across retailers, which facilitated uniform pricing increases but drew U.S. Department of Justice scrutiny for allegedly orchestrating a horizontal conspiracy to end Amazon's low-price strategy. In , the DOJ sued Apple and five publishers, claiming the agreements raised prices by an average of $2–$3 per title; three publishers settled, while Apple proceeded to trial. A 2013 federal court ruling found Apple liable for facilitating the price-fixing scheme, affirming that its role extended beyond mere facilitation to actively coordinating publisher resistance against Amazon, though Apple maintained the model fostered competition by enabling multiple retailers. Appeals reached the Second Circuit in 2015, upholding liability, leading to a 2016 settlement where Apple agreed to suspend agency agreements with publishers for two years and forgo MFN clauses, allowing a temporary return to wholesale models by rivals like Amazon. Post-settlement, publishers renegotiated with Apple to reinstate agency terms without the contested provisions, solidifying the model's persistence; by 2020, Apple's ebook royalties remained at 70% under standard agreements, with no significant structural changes reported as of 2025. Critics, including the Independent Book Publishers Association, have urged Apple to lower its commission to 15% for smaller publishers, citing precedents, but Apple has not adopted such reductions for books.

Distribution and Revenue Sharing

Apple Books distributes digital content exclusively through its proprietary store, accessible via the Apple Books app on , , macOS, and compatible web browsers. Publishers and authors submit EPUB-formatted ebooks or other supported files using the Apple Books for Authors publishing portal, which requires an (now integrated into Apple Books Connect) account with verified banking and tax information. Apple conducts a review process to ensure compliance with formatting, content quality, and metadata standards before approving titles for sale, typically within a few days to weeks. Once approved, books are made available for purchase or download in over 50 countries, with pricing set by the publisher in multiple currencies and territories. Revenue sharing follows an agency model where Apple acts as the sales agent, retaining a standard 30% commission on net sales revenue for ebooks and audiobooks priced at or above $0.99, while publishers or authors receive the remaining 70%. This structure applies uniformly to both traditional publishers and authors, with no delivery fees deducted from royalties, unlike some competitors. Royalties are calculated after deducting applicable taxes and any promotional discounts, and payments are issued monthly via once earnings exceed a $10 threshold in the publisher's . For audiobooks produced via Apple's digital narration partners, the same 70/30 split applies post-production. This model has remained consistent since the platform's early days, predating antitrust settlements that shifted the industry from wholesale to agency pricing, though Apple has faced calls from groups like the Independent Book Publishers Association to lower its cut to 15% for smaller creators, mirroring concessions in other segments. No such reduction has been implemented for Apple Books as of 2024, preserving Apple's margin amid broader revenue exceeding $10 billion in commissions that year.

Associated Tools and Services

iBooks Author Development Tool

iBooks Author was a free application for macOS developed by Apple to enable the creation of interactive, multi-touch ebooks primarily for use in the iBooks app on iPad, iPhone, and Mac devices. Released on January 19, 2012, alongside the iBooks 2 platform, it targeted educational content such as textbooks, allowing users to incorporate widgets for galleries, videos, 3D objects, quizzes, and other multimedia elements through a template-based, drag-and-drop interface. The tool supported importing content from Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) and Pages (.pages) files, facilitating the assembly of chapters, glossaries, and interactive previews. Books created in iBooks Author could be exported in a .ibooks format for distribution via or direct sharing, with options for PDF or export for non-iBooks readers. to the Apple Books Store required approval and adherence to Apple's guidelines, enabling sales with 70% royalty rates similar to other iBooks content. However, the format's incompatibility with standard readers without conversion workarounds limited portability, confining advanced interactivity to Apple's ecosystem. Upon launch, iBooks Author's drew criticism for stipulating that ebooks distributed outside the iBookstore granted Apple ownership of the content, prompting authors to question its implications for rights. Apple amended the EULA on February 3, 2012, clarifying that creators retained rights to their output when not sold through Apple's store, though the proprietary nature still restricted broader distribution. Additional limitations included a 2 GB cap, rigid layout templates lacking flexibility, and absence of import support, which reviewers noted hindered creative freedom and cross-platform compatibility. Apple discontinued iBooks Author on July 1, 2020, following an announcement on June 10, 2020, ceasing updates and removing it from the Mac App Store while recommending migration to Pages for new projects. Existing installations remain functional on macOS Catalina (10.15) or earlier, and previously published books continue to be accessible in Apple Books. Pages now handles book creation with EPUB export capabilities, supporting media integration and direct publishing, though it lacks some of iBooks Author's specialized widgets for multi-touch interactivity. This shift reflects Apple's consolidation of authoring tools into its broader productivity suite, prioritizing open formats like EPUB over proprietary ones.

Audiobook and Multimedia Integration

Apple Books provides seamless integration for , allowing users to browse, purchase, and listen within a dedicated Audiobooks tab in the app. Playback features include adjustable speed, chapter skipping, rewind/forward controls, and progress syncing across , , Mac, and other Apple devices via . The platform supports enhanced audiobook discovery through editorial collections and partnerships, such as the June 2024 agreement designating Apple Books as the official audiobook home for , featuring dedicated homepages for new picks and curated selections. For multimedia integration, Apple Books adheres to the 3.3 specification, enabling ebooks with embedded audio, video, interactive widgets, and media overlays for synchronized read-along narration. This backward-compatible format supports fixed-layout and reflowable designs, allowing video playback on devices and interactive elements like quizzes or galleries in compatible titles. Authors can leverage Apple's digital narration tools to generate high-quality, AI-assisted audiobook versions directly from EPUB ebooks, streamlining production without traditional recording.

E-book Pricing Antitrust Litigation (2010–2016)

In December 2009, Apple began negotiations with five major book publishers—Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Group, and Simon & Schuster—to establish the iBookstore ahead of the iPad's April 2010 launch, proposing an agency pricing model under which publishers would set retail prices and Apple would receive a 30% commission, departing from the wholesale model dominant in the market. Publishers, facing pressure from Amazon's aggressive $9.99 pricing for many new releases that they viewed as devaluing print books, agreed to these terms, which included Apple's most-favored-nation (MFN) clause ensuring iBookstore prices would not exceed those on other platforms. This model facilitated higher average e-book prices, with post-launch data showing prices rose 16.8% within six months and remained elevated for two years. On April 11, 2012, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), joined by 33 states and territories, filed a civil antitrust against Apple and the five publishers in the Southern District of New York, alleging they had orchestrated a horizontal conspiracy to eliminate retail price competition and fix e-book prices in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act. The complaint cited evidence including internal Apple communications, such as emails from CEO , indicating Apple actively facilitated publisher coordination to adopt uniform agency terms and reject Amazon's discounting, thereby raising industry-wide prices. All five publishers settled with the DOJ between September 2012 and August 2013, entering consent decrees that barred them from colluding on pricing or restricting retailers' discounting for two years, while Apple rejected settlement and proceeded to trial. A before U.S. District ran from June 3 to June 20, 2013, with the DOJ presenting documentary evidence of Apple's role in aligning publisher negotiations to ensure simultaneous adoption of the agency model. On July 10, 2013, Cote ruled Apple liable, finding it had "orchestrated" a per se unlawful horizontal price-fixing agreement by knowingly joining and facilitating the publishers' , rejecting Apple's defense that its actions were merely vertical and pro-competitive against Amazon's market dominance. The court imposed an requiring Apple to end agency agreements with MFN clauses for five years and allow discounting, with final judgment entered September 5, 2013. Apple appealed to the Second Circuit, which affirmed the district court's ruling on June 30, 2015, holding that Apple had "knowingly participated in and facilitated a horizontal conspiracy" to raise prices, regardless of its vertical positioning or intent to counter Amazon. The U.S. denied on March 7, 2016, upholding the liability finding. Concurrently, in a related , Apple reached a conditional settlement in 2014 for up to $450 million, including $400 million in restitution, which activated post-appeal and distributed funds to e-book purchasers from April 2010 to May 2012. The DOJ emphasized the outcome reinforced that facilitating price-fixing, even to challenge a dominant player, violates antitrust when it eliminates .

Trademark Disputes

In 2011, J.T. Colby & Co. Inc., along with affiliated publishers Black Tower Press Inc. and Romulan Books Inc., filed a lawsuit against Apple Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleging trademark infringement over Apple's "iBooks" branding for its digital e-book platform launched on April 3, 2010. The plaintiffs, which had used the lowercase "ibooks" imprint for printed science fiction and fantasy titles since 1999 through assets acquired from Byron Preiss Visual Publications, claimed Apple's stylized "iBooks" mark caused consumer confusion, violated their common law rights, and constituted false designation of origin, misappropriation, unjust enrichment, and conversion. They sought a permanent injunction barring Apple's continued use of the term. Apple countered that it had conducted extensive trademark clearance searches before adopting the mark and had acquired the federal "" registration (No. 2,446,634) from Family Systems Ltd. in February 2010 for software. On May 8, 2013, U.S. District Judge granted Apple's motion for in a 71-page opinion, ruling that the plaintiffs' "ibooks" mark was descriptive of electronic or interactive books and thus weak and entitled to limited protection. The court found no genuine issue of material fact regarding likelihood of confusion, citing differences in product channels (physical print books versus Apple's digital app and store), , and marketing, as well as a lack of of actual confusion or dilution. Judge Cote also rejected claims of by Apple, noting the company's prior use of "" for its laptops from 1999 to 2006 and diligent pre-launch . The plaintiffs appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which affirmed the district court's dismissal in an unpublished summary order, upholding that Apple's "iBooks" did not infringe the "ibooks" imprint and reiterating the absence of or secondary meaning sufficient for protection. This ruling effectively cleared Apple's path to continue using the "iBooks" name, which was rebranded to "Apple Books" in 2018 without further related challenges. No other significant disputes directly involving the Apple Books service have been adjudicated in U.S. courts.

Recent Class Action Lawsuits and Operational Criticisms (2020s)

In April 2025, a proposed lawsuit was filed against Apple in federal court, accusing the company of and unfair competition under state laws for selling ebooks via Apple Books under terms implying permanent ownership, when licensing agreements permit publishers to revoke access and remove titles from users' libraries. The plaintiff, representing purchasers of affected s, claimed damages potentially reaching $5 billion, citing instances where bought titles vanished due to expired or terminated licenses with publishers. Apple's standard terms explicitly describe digital content as licensed rather than sold, a practice common across ebook platforms to reflect the non-physical nature of files and rights management needs, though critics of the suit argue the complaint ignores these disclosures and industry norms. Separately, in September and October 2025, multiple lawsuits targeted Apple for alleged in training its AI models, including the open-source OpenELM language models and elements of Apple Intelligence, using the Books3 dataset—a collection of approximately 196,000 pirated ebooks scraped without authorization. Initial plaintiffs authors and Jennifer Roberson filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of , followed by neuroscientists Susana Martinez-Conde and Macknik, who alleged their works, such as Champions of Illusion, were included in the unauthorized training . The suits seek damages and injunctions, contending that Apple's research paper on OpenELM acknowledged the dataset's origins while proceeding with its use, raising broader questions about defenses in AI development amid ongoing industry debates over sourcing . Operational criticisms of Apple Books in the 2020s have centered on perceived stagnation in app development and . In August 2024, Apple conducted layoffs affecting about 100 positions across its Books and divisions, part of broader services team reductions, which analysts linked to cost-cutting and shifting priorities away from underperforming apps. Users and reviewers have highlighted persistent interface flaws, including awkward navigation, limited customization options compared to competitors like Kindle, and a default emphasis on the over personal libraries, contributing to lower rates despite integration with ecosystems. These issues stem from Apple's closed ecosystem favoring proprietary formats and DRM, which, while enhancing security, restrict and flexibility for cross-platform reading.

Reception and Industry Impact

User and Critic Evaluations

Apple Books maintains a user rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars on the App Store, based on over 67,700 reviews as of late 2024. Users frequently praise its seamless integration within the , allowing synchronized reading progress and libraries across , , and Mac devices without additional apps or subscriptions. The app's visually appealing interface and customization options, such as adjustable text sizes, themes, and margins, contribute to a smooth reading experience, particularly for those invested in Apple's hardware. features, including strong support, have been highlighted as strengths for visually impaired users. However, user criticisms often center on functional shortcomings compared to competitors like Kindle. Common complaints include persistent syncing issues between devices, clunky page-turning animations introduced in , and limitations in book organization and search capabilities. Some users report the app feeling barebones, with fewer advanced features like extensive or cross-platform compatibility beyond Apple products, leading to perceptions of it as underdeveloped despite its aesthetic appeal. Pricing for books is also noted as higher on average, deterring budget-conscious readers who find better deals elsewhere. Critics have offered mixed but generally positive evaluations, emphasizing Apple Books' refinements over time. A 2025 AppleInsider analysis described it as an "underrated gem" for delivering a tremendous reading experience through polished and immersive visuals, positioning it as ideal for Apple-centric users. Earlier reviews, such as CNET's 2012 assessment of iBooks at 8.8/10, commended features like syncing and automatic updates for enhancing usability. In contrast, outlets like The Verge critiqued specific updates, such as the redesign, for diminishing the joy of digital page-flipping, reflecting ongoing tensions between form and function. Overall, professional reviews underscore its strengths in loyalty and aesthetics while acknowledging gaps in relative to rivals.

Market Position Versus Competitors

Apple Books maintains a secondary position in the global e-book and market, primarily appealing to users within the but trailing far behind Amazon's Kindle platform, which commands the dominant share. As of 2023 estimates, Amazon Kindle holds approximately 70-75% of the U.S. e-book market, while Apple Books accounts for roughly 5-8%, with other competitors like Barnes & Noble's Nook and Kobo each capturing under 10%. These figures reflect Amazon's extensive content library exceeding 13 million titles, proprietary hardware like e-ink Kindle devices optimized for prolonged reading, and aggressive pricing strategies, including subscription services like Kindle Unlimited that bundle millions of titles for a flat fee. In contrast, Apple Books, rebranded from iBooks in , relies on software integration across , macOS, and devices without dedicated hardware, limiting its hardware ecosystem lock-in.
PlatformEstimated U.S. E-book Market Share (2023)Key StrengthsKey Limitations
Amazon Kindle70-75%Vast library, e-ink hardware, subscriptionsDependency on Amazon's agency pricing post-2013 antitrust shifts
Apple Books5-8%Seamless Apple device sync, high-quality formattingSmaller title selection, no dedicated hardware
Google Play Books<5% (global estimates)Android integration, open ecosystemFragmented user experience, less focus on reading hardware
Kobo<3%Affordable e-readers, partnerships with retailersLimited U.S. penetration outside Canada/Europe
Apple Books' market position benefits from Apple's installed base of over 2 billion active devices as of 2024, enabling cross-device continuity features like Handoff for reading progress, yet it struggles with content discovery and breadth compared to Kindle's algorithmic recommendations and self-publishing dominance via , which facilitates rapid indie author uploads. , integrated with Android's larger global smartphone share, poses competition in non-Apple markets but similarly lacks hardware differentiation, resulting in fragmented adoption. Industry observers note Apple Books' higher author royalties (70% vs. Amazon's variable 35-70%) as a draw for publishers post-2012 agency model adoption, though this has not eroded Amazon's lead, as evidenced by Kindle's 72% share of hardware sales in 2023. Overall, Apple Books' growth remains constrained by ecosystem silos, with e-book sales comprising a minor fraction of Apple's $85 billion services revenue in fiscal 2023, dwarfed by Amazon's broader dominance.

Effects on Publishing Ecosystem

Apple's entry into the e-book market via iBooks in April 2010 introduced the agency pricing model, under which publishers set retail prices and Apple retained a 30% commission, contrasting with the prevailing wholesale model dominated by Amazon that allowed deep discounting. This shift empowered publishers to maintain higher price points—typically raising bestsellers from $9.99 to $12.99–$14.99—reducing retailers' pricing leverage and prompting Amazon to adopt agency terms for major publishers by early 2010. While publishers gained greater control over pricing and revenue allocation, the model contributed to short-term e-book price increases, as evidenced by U.S. Department of Justice findings in 2012 that consumers paid an estimated $82 million more annually due to coordinated pricing. The agency's most-favored-nation clauses, requiring publishers not to offer lower prices elsewhere, further homogenized pricing across platforms but stifled , according to economic analyses showing reduced promotional incentives under agency compared to wholesale. Post-antitrust litigation (resolved against Apple in ), the model persisted in modified forms, fostering a more balanced ecosystem where non-Amazon retailers like Apple captured shares—Apple Books holding approximately 8–10% of the U.S. e-book market by 2023—though Amazon retained 70–75%. For independent authors, Apple Books facilitated self-publishing without exclusivity requirements, offering 70% royalties on sales and integration with tools like Apple Books Connect since 2016, enabling wider distribution beyond Amazon's ecosystem. This diversified revenue streams for self-publishers, who comprised a growing segment of the market, though Apple's smaller user base limited absolute sales compared to competitors; aggregate self-publishing royalties remain higher per unit under agency terms but depend on platform reach. Publishers and authors benefited from Apple's emphasis on multimedia formats via discontinued iBooks Author (2011–2020), which supported interactive content but saw limited adoption due to export restrictions tying outputs to Apple's platform. Overall, Apple Books injected into a Amazon-centric , curbing monopsonistic pressures on publishers while exposing tensions in —higher prices aided publisher margins but drew regulatory scrutiny, ultimately promoting a platform ecosystem where multiple retailers coexist under publisher-led .

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