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Apple says iBooks app has been downloaded 130M times, Apple and Japanese publishing executives talk iBooks deal

Following up on the new version of iBooks, which was released this morning, with greater support in Asia and support for books from Japanese publishers, Apple has published a press release with some new details. Notably, Apple says that the iBooks application for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch has been downloaded 130 million times worldwide. iBooks originally launched in early 2010 alongside the iPad and was brought to the iPhone and iPod touch later that year.

In addition to the numbers, Apple notes which publishers is struck deals with for today’s expanded launch of iBooks in Japan. Apple names major publishers Kodansha, KADOKAWA, Bungeishunju, Gakken and Gentosha. Some of these publishers were forecasted by reports from earlier this year. Addtionally, Apple says “the iBookstore has a wide selection of emerging and established authors including Shyotaro Ikenami, Jiro Akagawa, Atsuko Asano and Ryu Murakami.” Apple has also included quotes from Apple Senior VP Eddy Cue and various executives from Japanese publishing firms.

“We’re excited to launch the iBookstore in Japan with a wide selection of Japanese publishers and authors,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “We think customers are going to love how engaging and interactive the books are to read, and how beautiful they look on iPad.”

“We’re thrilled to have our books on the iBookstore,” said Tsuguhiko Kadokawa, Chairman of KADOKAWA Group Holdings. “More than anything, I think it’s great the iBookstore lets us offer our readers a wide variety of reading experiences that they can’t have anywhere else and that they can only have on their iOS device.”

iBookstore customers can choose from a wide selection of enhanced books that look incredible on iPad, as well as digitally exclusive titles including Ryu Murakami’s fiction novels “At the Airport,” “Exodus of Middle-School Students” and “I’ll Always Be With You, Always,” which has interactive emails in each chapter to bring you even deeper into the story.

“I’m excited to offer three of my works exclusively on the iBookstore, and hope that readers love them as much as I do,” said author, novelist and filmmaker Ryu Murakami. “As an author and Apple user for 20 years, the arrival of the iBookstore allows me to tell stories in a way you simply can’t in a physical book.”

Beloved children’s books including “Piyo-chan: A Letter for Piyo” come to life with interactivity, transitions and audio, while new favorites including “Toy Story 3: So Long Partner” let readers easily read aloud at their own pace. 

“We couldn’t be more excited about how incredible ‘Piyo-chan: A Letter for Piyo’ looks on the iBookstore,” said Hiroaki Miyahara, President and Representative Director of Gakken Holdings. “We’ve taken this beloved Japanese children’s book and made it more engaging with gorgeous animations and interactivity that makes learning more fun.”

Full press release below:

TOKYO―March 6, 2013―Apple® today announced the launch of the iBookstore℠ in Japan featuring titles from major and independent publishers, including a great selection of books from Kodansha, KADOKAWA, Bungeishunju, Gakken and Gentosha. The iBookstore has a wide selection of emerging and established authors including Shyotaro Ikenami, Jiro Akagawa, Atsuko Asano and Ryu Murakami. The iBookstore in Japan is the best way for book lovers to browse, buy and read books on iPhone®, iPad® and iPod touch®.

“We’re excited to launch the iBookstore in Japan with a wide selection of Japanese publishers and authors,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “We think customers are going to love how engaging and interactive the books are to read, and how beautiful they look on iPad.”

“We’re thrilled to have our books on the iBookstore,” said Tsuguhiko Kadokawa, Chairman of KADOKAWA Group Holdings. “More than anything, I think it’s great the iBookstore lets us offer our readers a wide variety of reading experiences that they can’t have anywhere else and that they can only have on their iOS device.”

iBookstore customers can choose from a wide selection of enhanced books that look incredible on iPad, as well as digitally exclusive titles including Ryu Murakami’s fiction novels “At the Airport,” “Exodus of Middle-School Students” and “I’ll Always Be With You, Always,” which has interactive emails in each chapter to bring you even deeper into the story.

“I’m excited to offer three of my works exclusively on the iBookstore, and hope that readers love them as much as I do,” said author, novelist and filmmaker Ryu Murakami. “As an author and Apple user for 20 years, the arrival of the iBookstore allows me to tell stories in a way you simply can’t in a physical book.”

Beloved children’s books including “Piyo-chan: A Letter for Piyo” come to life with interactivity, transitions and audio, while new favorites including “Toy Story 3: So Long Partner” let readers easily read aloud at their own pace.

“We couldn’t be more excited about how incredible ‘Piyo-chan: A Letter for Piyo’ looks on the iBookstore,” said Hiroaki Miyahara, President and Representative Director of Gakken Holdings. “We’ve taken this beloved Japanese children’s book and made it more engaging with gorgeous animations and interactivity that makes learning more fun.”

Cookbooks are even more useful on the iBookstore with titles such as “I Love Cheesecakes!” from culinary specialist Kiyomi Ishizawa that allows cooks to easily search recipes and ingredients. Additionally, the iBookstore offers best-selling fiction novels including “Sora-Tobu Kouhoushitsu” by Hiro Arikawa, “Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu” by Nagaru Tanigawa, and “Tenchi Meisatsu” by Tow Ubukata. Also available for purchase and download on the iBookstore are world-renowned Manga titles including Eiichiro Oda’s “ONE PIECE,” Mari Yamazaki’s “THERMAE ROMAE” and Hirohiko Araki’s full color version of “JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE” Part 4, which is digitally exclusive on the iBookstore.

The iBookstore is available in 51 countries and offers hundreds of categories including cookbooks, history books, biographies, picture books and children’s books with free books available in 155 countries. The iBooks® app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch has been downloaded 130 million times worldwide.

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