Just in time for the upcoming fall semester, Google is
jumping into the textbook business, offering students a “comprehensive
selection of titles” from five major publishers, through the Google Play for
Education app store.
The company is adding a new channel for digital textbooks,
which will allow students to access the material on Android and iOS devices.
Notes and bookmarks will be synced across all devices, whether a student is
using the material online or on a mobile device.
Google did not provide information on pricing, but said
it expects to rent and sell the titles at an 80% discount compared to “regular”
retail prices, apparently meaning list prices, which are not true indicators of
actual pricing. It also did not make clear how much interactivity there will
be, according to an article in TechCrunch.