Berlin-based Inkitt announced a $16 million Series A funding round, led by Kleiner Perkins but including participation from HV Holtzbrinck Ventures. (The company previously raised $5 million.) The new capital will help fund their expansion, which includes plans to add 10 languages in addition to English. With more funding comes ever-greater hype: Founder and ceo…
Apps/iOS
Corporate News: Barnes TV, Barnes & Smith, and An Interactive Peter Rabbit
Barnes & Noble is previewing their new “Nobody Knows Books Like We Do” holiday video ads, to be featured on cable TV and movie screens. The general ads are available on their YouTube channel, but they have yet to post what sound like the most interesting spots: A collection of 15-second videos “that celebrate the…
Apple Relaunches Their Book Store and App
For readers who like mainstream ebooks more than discounted House Brand titles, the number two ebookseller has relaunched their store and reading app. “Apple Books” represents a major redesign, launched yesterday in 51 countries as part of Apple’s new iOS12 release. The company now incorporates audiobooks within the books app (and Book Store), though they…
Apple Books Changes
Bloomberg looks at some changes on the way from Apple. In an early developer version of iOS 11.3, Apple is changing iBooks to Books; as they have done with music and podcasts, the service will be known as Apple Books going forward. The iBookstore (soon just Apple Bookstore) will be redesigned to “look more like…
HarperCollins Launches Book Recommendation Bots
HarperCollins has announced the launch of BookGenie and Epic Reads, two bot-powered book recommendation engines available through Facebook Messenger. Both provide book recommendations through one-on-one chatting. With Bookgenie, readers request a recommendation based on a book they enjoyed, or select from curated recommendations. Epic Reads, related to the publisher’s YA-focused site, allows readers to specify what…
Digital: Shelfie Shutters, Radish Raises
Shelfie, the ebook bundling app that provided users with ebooks to go along with some of the print books they already own, told users with almost no notice that the service will close today. Founded as BitLit, the Vancouver-based company had received seed funding former Kobo ceo Michael Serbinis among others. In contrast, mobile app-based short-form…