Google Apple rivalry intensifies with Digital Newsstand
Google hasn't been just a search engine for a long time now, expanding its influence over various industries. With the upcoming digital newsstand, Google is wooing content publishers on to the Android platform, similar to what Apple does with the iPad and iTunes store combined. With this push, Google is taking on Apple in what is turning out to be a defining rivalry of our times about mobile OS platforms and device dominance that will seemingly eclipse the Apple vs. Microsoft PC rivalry of the mid-'80s and '90s.
According to a WSJ report, Google has stepped up efforts to win over online content publishers, newspapers, and magazines over to the fast-growing Android platform, in a move to compete against Apple's successful iTunes store and iPad tablet combo. Newspapers and magazines like New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Wired, The Economist, Newsweek and more, have their respective digital versions available for sale on Apple iTunes and iPad. And Google, bullish about its Android platform, wants a piece of that market with a digital newstand for Android users and Android-supported versions of digital content from reputed publishers.
Last month, Google Editions, an online ebook store was launched by Google, trying to shake up a market dominated by Amazon, Apple's iBookStore and Barnes & Noble. The Android digital newsstand makes sense for Google as things are moving really quickly in the world of Android -- a hailstorm of Android tablets are expected this year with Android 3.0 slated for a March release.
The report further suggests that with the Android digital newsstand venture Google is willing to undercut Apple's online iTunes model of splitting sales with publishers. Apple currently keeps 30-percent of iTunes sales, giving back publishers the remaining 70-percent. Google is apparently willing to take a smaller slice of the Android digital newsstand sales, giving publishers better margins compared to Apple's iTunes store. Google is also offering certain data about app buyers to publishers in the process.
While we wait for an officialy confirmation from Google on the Android digital newsstand, it isn't difficult to see what Google's gunning for. In this latest chapter of Google and Apple's platform war, Google is targetting tablets. And only time will tell if it can crack Apple's code.
Google hasn't been just a search engine for a long time now, expanding its influence over various industries. With the upcoming digital newsstand, Google is wooing content publishers on to the Android platform, similar to what Apple does with the iPad and iTunes store combined. With this push, Google is taking on Apple in what is turning out to be a defining rivalry of our times about mobile OS platforms and device dominance that will seemingly eclipse the Apple vs. Microsoft PC rivalry of the mid-'80s and '90s.
According to a WSJ report, Google has stepped up efforts to win over online content publishers, newspapers, and magazines over to the fast-growing Android platform, in a move to compete against Apple's successful iTunes store and iPad tablet combo. Newspapers and magazines like New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Wired, The Economist, Newsweek and more, have their respective digital versions available for sale on Apple iTunes and iPad. And Google, bullish about its Android platform, wants a piece of that market with a digital newstand for Android users and Android-supported versions of digital content from reputed publishers.
Last month, Google Editions, an online ebook store was launched by Google, trying to shake up a market dominated by Amazon, Apple's iBookStore and Barnes & Noble. The Android digital newsstand makes sense for Google as things are moving really quickly in the world of Android -- a hailstorm of Android tablets are expected this year with Android 3.0 slated for a March release.
The report further suggests that with the Android digital newsstand venture Google is willing to undercut Apple's online iTunes model of splitting sales with publishers. Apple currently keeps 30-percent of iTunes sales, giving back publishers the remaining 70-percent. Google is apparently willing to take a smaller slice of the Android digital newsstand sales, giving publishers better margins compared to Apple's iTunes store. Google is also offering certain data about app buyers to publishers in the process.
While we wait for an officialy confirmation from Google on the Android digital newsstand, it isn't difficult to see what Google's gunning for. In this latest chapter of Google and Apple's platform war, Google is targetting tablets. And only time will tell if it can crack Apple's code.
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