Google takes on Apple, Amazon with ebookstore

The eBook wars have just become a tri-partisan dispute, with Amazon versus Apple now seeing a third gorilla enter the room as Google launches its long-anticipated ebookstore.

Google eBooks is apparently “all about choice”, so you can get an app for iPhone, Android, Nook and Sony and for your computer. The service isn’t yet available outside the US.

Interestingly, your books are stored in the cloud, suggesting ad opportunities for the company.

The service features 3 million titles, from newly released best-sellers to freely available out-of-copyright books, You can discover and buy new ebooks from the Google eBookstore or get them from independent bookseller partners: Powell’s, Alibris and participating members of the American Booksellers Association.

“When Google Books first launched in 2004, we set out to make the information stored in the world’s books accessible and useful online. Since then, we’ve digitized more than 15 million books from more than 35,000 publishers, more than 40 libraries, and more than 100 countries in more than 400 languages. This deep repository of knowledge and culture will continue to be searchable through Google Books search in the research section alongside the ebookstore,” the company said.

Google is offering the now customary 70/30 percent split with publishers for books (agency deals). For so-called non-agency books sold Google will pay publishers 52 percent of the sale price.