Should you’ve downloaded an e-book prior to now decade, it’s probably it was an EPUB file. Effectively, until to procure it from Amazon in fact.
For years now, the corporate has used its proprietary AZW format for ebooks — however now it’s opening up its doorways. Kinda. A latest replace of its Send To Kindle documentation (noticed first by Good E-Reader) revealed that Amazon’s ereaders will assist EPUB recordsdata by “late 2022.”
Since its launch in 2007, EPUB has been poised to grow to be the e-book format file of selection, with The E book Trade Examine Group (BISG) — a US commerce group that goals to streamline publishing — declaring EPUB should be the sector’s standard.
After all, Amazon — being Amazon — ignored this.
The net retailer has usually used the aforementioned AZW format, its personal model of MOBI. It is a file system created by an organization known as Mobipocket, which Amazon bought again in 2005.
Now you might have a urgent query at this level: why the hell does the Amazon Kindle lastly providing EPUB assist matter?
Effectively, it’s all about shopper selection and freedom.
There are many different locations you should purchase ebooks past the Kindle retailer. This not solely contains different massive retailers like Kobo and Barnes & Noble, but additionally buying them immediately from publishers themselves. The latter specifically is necessary as a result of, as The Verge pointed out, authors could get a much bigger lower from these transactions.
Up till now, if you happen to needed to get a third-party e-book on an Amazon ereader, you probably needed to convert it utilizing a third-party piece of software program like Calibre, earlier than utilizing the Ship to Kindle perform to get it onto your system.
Whereas Calibre is a superb instrument, it’s a step too far for most individuals. For instance, I can’t think about my mother and father ever downloading the software program and utilizing it to transform an e-book they purchased elsewhere.
Amazon’s upcoming assist of EPUB recordsdata means this step is not wanted.
Technically, you must be capable of obtain an e-book within the common format and simply ship it to your Kindle, all with out the necessity for third-party conversion.
Good, proper? Effectively, sure — but additionally no.
Amazon being Amazon
Whereas the corporate has made it simpler to place different firm’s ebooks on Kindle units, it’s not any simpler to do the reverse.
Let me clarify. Moderately than supporting native EPUB recordsdata, Amazon is as an alternative converting them to KF8 (or AZW3).
What this implies is that if at some point you resolve to flee Amazon’s walled backyard, it’s going to be robust (although not impossible) to get all of your ebooks off the Kindle and onto one other ereader.
However, in fact, that’s what the corporate needs.
The Kindle is a well-liked system as a result of it makes the digital studying expertise so seamless. Options like Whispersync (the place you possibly can transfer easily between a digital novel and an audio one), the benefit of buying on the Kindle Retailer, and with the ability to learn throughout a number of units make the service perfect for most individuals.
Opening up EPUB ‘assist’ on this most Amazon of how is merely sating the small share of Kindle energy customers who prefer to get their books from elsewhere. Successfully, Bezos’ behemoth is sliding open the door a crack to let some air in, however not letting any out.
