Chat app takes on ebook retailers, Amazon with manga comics service

Line, the popular messaging platform based in Japan, is challenging ebook vendors like Amazon and Rakuten with a new service to download and view manga, or Japanese comic books. The company has launched "Line Manga," a mobile app for Android and iOS phones. Line's initial offering consists of 30,000 manga titles, making it one of the largest online comic stores in Japan. Manga are extremely popular in Japan with men and women across a wide range of ages and consumer groups. They are seen as a key part of the fledgling ebook market in Japan—Amazon's long-awaited launch in the country included 15,000 manga, just under a third of its total library. Rivals include Rakuten and Sony, services run by Japan's mobile operators, and a host of third-party apps. Line can leverage its vast and growing user base in Japan, where it has become the default chat app for many users. The company has built a growing suite of services around chat, including online games and a camera app. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here Continue reading at 'PC World'

[ PC World | 2013-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #wide range #consumer groups #key part #third-party apps #growing suite

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Chat app takes on ebook retailers, Amazon with manga comics service'


Humphreys takes over from Ayrton as Serpent's Tail publisher

Written By: Benedicte Page Picador senior editor Sam Humphreys is to join Profile as publisher for imprint Serpent's Tail, leaving Pan Macmillan after nine years. Former publisher Pete Ayrton now takes the role of editor-at-large. Humphreys, the editor who acquired Emma Donoghue's hit novel... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #tail publisher #graham robb


Apple rewrites rules on selling content via apps

Apple has moved to block third party app developers from selling content, such as ebooks, outside of the app store, leading to speculation that it wants a cut of digital purchases, even when they are made via apps such as the Kindle app. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #selling content #app store #digital purchases #kindle app


Apple Moves to Tighten Control of App Store

Sony said Apple had rejected its ebook app because it did not route book sales through Apple’s system. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #apple moves #app store #ebook app


Apple Rejects Sony Reader App, Tightens Grip on Content Sales

Apple has reportedly rejected Sony's reader app from the App store for selling content within the app and letting customers make purchases outside the App store (such as within the Sony Reader Store, according to The New York Times. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #reader app #app store #content sales #selling content


Amazon Claims E-book Sales Beat Paperbacks

The ebook sales milestone "has come even sooner than we expected," CEO Bezos says. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-01-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Kindle sales outstrip paperbacks as Amazon has first $10bn quarter

Written By: Lisa Campbell Kindle ebooks have overtaken paperback sales at Amazon.com, as the internet retailer revealed sales topped $10bn for the first time in its latest trading quarter. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-01-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Amazon Kindle Book Sales Soar

Online retailer reports sales of its digital ebooks has outstripped those of traditional paperbacks. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-01-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital ebooks


2010 retailer discounts total £600m

Written By: Philip Stone and Lisa Campbell Retailers slashed a total of £600m from the price of books in 2010 as book-buyers enjoyed their best year for bargains since records began. The average discount given off a book's r.r.p. last year was 26%— slightly deeper than in 2009, when books were... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-01-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #philip stone #records began


Big comics line up for this autumn

Written By: Charlotte Williams Rob Brydon, Steve Coogan and John Bishop are among the latest big-name celebrities to have been snapped up for autobiographies, as comedians look set to dominate the hardback celebrity memoir market again this autumn. “Gavin and Stacey” star Rob Brydon’s memoir is... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-01-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #steve coogan #john bishop #michael joseph


Report: Worldwide App Revenue To Exceed $15 Billion in 2011

Mobile app downloads will increase 117 percent to 17.7 billion worldwide while mobile application store revenue will grow to more than $15.1 billion in 2011, a 190 percent increase, according to Gartner Inc. In 2010, app stores generated an estimated $5.2 billion from both download sales and... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-01-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #advertising revenue


School library services face closure

Written By: Caroline Horn School library services (SLS) in Birmingham and Sutton are to close or substantially reduce the service they offer to schools, while in Greenwich the service suspended on a temporary basis in 2009 will not now be resumed. The news follows recent closures of services... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Fry Communications Builds Out Suite of Publisher Services

In two acquisitions this month, Fry Communications, a leading publication printer, has added to the array of services it offers customers. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publisher services #fry communications #offers customers


Library ebook lending works for all, DBW told

Written By: Philip Jones The system of lending one ebook per library user works for authors, agents, booksellers and librarians, a session at Digital Book World discussing the sector heard yesterday. At the session, entitled 'Where Do Libraries Fit Into the Ecosystem?', publishers were... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #libraries fit #dbw told #philip jones #digital content


Amazon Ups Its Edge

Apple caused a stir last week when it announced that it sold 7.3 million iPads in the quarter ended December 25, bringing the number of devices it has sold since it released the iPad last April to nearly 15 million. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-01-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #amazon ups


How One Small Publisher Cracked the App Store Top 25

Publishers are launching iPhone and iPad apps on a daily basis (unless you're Bonnier, then it seems almost hourly). Many are coming from the usual suspects with deep pockets--Hearst, Conde Nast, Time Inc. etc. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-01-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ipad apps #daily basis #usual suspects #conde nast