Would an Amazon 'Netflix for books' work?
The online shopping giant is reportedly in talks to launch a flat-fee lending library for e-books
Amazon.com is in talks with book publishers about launching a Netflix-like service for e-books, according to The Wall Street Journal. Customers would reportedly pay a flat annual fee to access the digital library — or join Amazon Prime, a service that also offers free shipping and video streaming for $79 a year. Could a "Netflix for books" really work?
Yep. This could totally take off: While there are already smaller sites offering this service, "a behemoth like Amazon" could really bring e-book lending to the mainstream, says Jack Loftus at Gizmodo. The catchy "Netflix for books" billing may seem a tad hyperbolic, but given that the service would tap into the "powerhouse known as Kindle," it just might be warranted.
"Amazon considering a 'Netflix for books'"
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
But it's hardly a sure thing: The mega e-retailer still has to get publishers on board, says Stephen Shankland at CNET, and I'm sure negotiations are tense. Still, publishers would be wise to make a deal, as the record companies did with iTunes. Amazon "has enough paying customers to get something off the ground that ultimately could help the publishers with their transition" into an era with fewer and fewer ink-on-paper books.
"Amazon e-book subscription? Publishers should join"
And past Amazon initiatives don't inspire confidence: "If Amazon's Prime Instant Video is any guide, Amazon's Kindle lending library may be nothing to get excited about," says Ian Paul at PCWorld. And remember, it's already possible to get a number of classic books on Kindle for free, from Little Women to War and Peace. Do we really need a full-blown e-library service?
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - December 22, 2024
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - the long and short of it, trigger finger, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 hilariously spirited cartoons about the spirit of Christmas
Cartoons Artists take on excuses, pardons, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Inside the house of Assad
The Explainer Bashar al-Assad and his father, Hafez, ruled Syria for more than half a century but how did one family achieve and maintain power?
By The Week UK Published