Apple and HarperCollins Publishers are said to be in negotiations with each other in the hope of making e-books available for the rumored tablet PC device. If this were true, then this would be a huge blow to Amazon and its Kindle e-reader.
According to The Wall Street Journal, HarperCollins are in talks to set the price for the e-books, Apple is thought to be taking a percentage from sales. Details are still hard to come by, but as we move closer to the upcoming Apple event next week, then we should know more.
WSJ is unsure how Apple will sell HarperCollins content; they could launch a new e-book store, but most believe that the iPhone maker will use its existing iTunes store. There have also been reports that Apple has met with other publishers, but nothing else is known.
The Apple event is to take place on January 27, which is where they are rumored to launch their first tablet device. It has even been suggested that the new iPhone 4G will be unveiled along with a demo of the new iPhone 4.0 OS. However, this is all just speculation.
Most of the evidence points to a tablet PC release, which should hit stores in March. However, there have been reports that Apple could launch its new 2010 iPhone in April instead of June or July, the normal cycle for the smartphone.
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