Google set for eBook assault on Amazon

NEW YORK, USA: In an effort to take on digital books giant Amazon.com, Google Inc is expected to launch its Google Editions, which was announced sometimes back, in the US market by the end of this year. The international launch is likely to be in the first quarter of 2011.

Citing Google spokeswoman Jeannie Hornung, CNET reported that Google Editions is expected to open up a new distribution channel for digital-book publishers and give Amazon and Apple a new competitor in the booming digital-book market.

However, a key difference is Google's "buy anywhere, read anywhere" approach, which means customers will purchase titles exclusively through a Web browser, instead of through an online store, as Amazon and Apple customers do, the report said.

Google hasn't revealed who or how many partners it has in the effort.

Google aims to use its position as the world's most popular search engine to erode Amazon's dominance of e-books, while Apple Inc harnesses the iPad tablet and iTunes online store to make its own inroads, according to a Bloomberg newswire report.

The competition means Amazon's share of digital books will decline to 35 percent over the next five years from 90 percent in early 2010, New York-based Credit Suisse Group AG estimated in February, the report added.