The expulsions have begun – Google Books gone from iOS

Posted on 24 July, 2011 by Nate Hoffelder in Apple, eBookstore, Google // 18 Comments

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I just heard this morning that the Google Books app is no longer available through iTunes, and after some digging I can confirm this is true. Google Books is no longer listed in iTunes.

Curiously enough, the app running on my iPad still works. I fired it up and I can still read all the ebooks including the couple I bought. The app still has the link to the Google eBookstore website, too, which is probably why Apple pulled it.

Interesting. I really expected to see this sooner.

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About Nate Hoffelder (11369 Articles)

Nate Hoffelder is the founder and editor of The Digital Reader:"I've been into reading ebooks since forever, but I only got my first ereader in July 2007. Everything quickly spiraled out of control from there. Before I started this blog in January 2010 I covered ebooks, ebook readers, and digital publishing for about 2 years as a part of MobileRead Forums. It's a great community, and being a member is a joy. But I thought I could make something out of how I covered the news for MobileRead, so I started this blog."

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13 Comments on The expulsions have begun – Google Books gone from iOS

Mike Cane // 24 July, 2011 at 9:45 am // Reply
It begins!! Just got an email from Amazon. Kindle 3G for $139. Coincidence? I don’t think so.
- Nate Hoffelder // 24 July, 2011 at 10:25 am // Reply
  Is that the Kindle 3G special offers that was sponsored by AT&T?
  That happened a week ago.
  - Mike Cane // 24 July, 2011 at 1:31 pm // Reply
    Dammit. You know, I didn’t check to see if that was the case. Shit. #FAIL #IBlameTheHeat
    - Mike Cane // 24 July, 2011 at 1:33 pm // Reply
      Went and updated my post. It’s the AT&T Kindle.
Eric Landes // 24 July, 2011 at 10:00 am // Reply
Kobo and Bluefire removed stores, Google left. Very curious to see which direction B&N and Amazon decide to go.
- fjtorres // 24 July, 2011 at 5:49 pm // Reply
  I expect they’ll wait for Apple to delist them from iTunes.
  Especially Amazon.
  - Ravi // 24 July, 2011 at 11:48 pm // Reply
    Sadly, B&N seems to have caved (see Nook Kids app).
    As for Amazon, will they announce their iOS app decision before or after they announce 1 million Kindle eBooks for sale? They’re at 1,005,000 according to Kindle for Android right now.
- Ravi // 25 July, 2011 at 2:58 am // Reply
  To be precise, Google hasn’t entirely left. For the moment(1), Google is the only ebook retailer with a full-fledged web reading interface. I wonder if that channel is why Google (apparently) has made a different decision than the other retailers.
  (1) I suspect Amazon has a full Kindle for Web on ice (especially since Google’ s bookstore is the existence proof that there isn’t an absolute licensing bar to the concept).
  - Nate Hoffelder // 25 July, 2011 at 7:50 am // Reply
    But does that browser based reading app work in the iPad/iPhone?
    - Ravi // 25 July, 2011 at 8:46 am // Reply
      Google claims:
      “You can read Google eBooks on any browser with JavaScript enabled.”
      That doesn’t necessarily mean that the experience would be acceptable on an iPhone or iPad, but it does seem to claim it is possible.
Mike Perry // 24 July, 2011 at 11:35 pm // Reply
I’m curious. I wonder if an app that search for ebooks on all the major web stores, including Apple’s, listed the prices, and provided a clickable web link would past muster.
Jeremy Banks // 25 July, 2011 at 6:25 am // Reply
“Curiously enough, the app running on my iPad still works.”
Apple removing apps from the store has never removed them from users’ devices. That would be idiotic and such a terrible PR move.
Joe // 25 July, 2011 at 2:47 pm // Reply
This all started back in Feb when Sony Reader was dumped. The advantage that the iPhone and more so the iPad has is the freedom from having to haul around multiple devices. Will the day come when all ebook apps are yanked off iTunes and you will have to carry both an iPad and an ebook device? This is a case where the free-market isn’t working. More ebook formats is not consumer friendly.