Court Grants Preliminary Approval to Apple Settlement
Judge Denise Cote granted preliminary approval to a deal that would settle money damages arising from Apple’s e-book price-fixing case. The judge also ordered the parties to proceed with notice immediately, and set a swift schedule for final approval, which could have the deal done by Thanksgiving, with a final fairness hearing set for Nov. 21.
Libraries Struggling with E-books
U.S. libraries have made headway with e-books in libraries, but internationally, the situation remains problematic, according to a new report from the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA). “Taken globally, the current situation is patchwork at best,” the report states. The report also notes that if subscription models take hold, they could provide a serious challenge to the role of libraries.
B&N Partners with Google for Same-Day Delivery
After Amazon announced that it is expanding its same-day delivery service in six U.S. cities, Barnes & Noble is taking a stab at the online giant. The chain is partnering with Google’s new shopping service, Google Shopping, to offer same-day delivery in three U.S. cities.
Scribd Debuts New Browsing Platform
Stepping up competition in the e-book subscription category, Scribd is launching a new browsing feature that claims to combine the best of human and algorithmic book recommendations. The new browsing feature is intended to distinguish Scribd’s e-book subscription service—through which consumers can read an unlimited number of books for $8.99 a month—from competitors like Oyster and the recently launched Kindle Unlimited.
Print Output Dipped in 2013
The number of print books produced by traditional publishers fell about 1% in 2013, according to statistics released August 5 by R.R. Bowker. Based on data drawn from its Books In Print database, Bowker reported that 304,912 books were produced by traditional publishers in 2013 compared to 309,957 in 2012.
O’Reilly Takes Full Ownership of Safari Books
O’Reilly Media has acquired the remaining 50% stake in Safari Books, a subscription e-book service offering access to business and tech content, originally launched as a joint venture with the Pearson Technology Group in 2001.
