Will Amazon allow the ePub Format?

Four publishers in the last week have confirmed that Amazon has indeed told them they now have an option to submit eBooks to be listed in the Amazon store in ePub format.
-via Amazon to Allow ePub eBooks on the Kindle e-Reader | Good E-Reader Blog – ebook Reader and Tablet PC News.

It seems that Amazon may begin requesting books in the ePub format.

This is breaking news in the world of ebooks. At present, Amazon has only accepted .prc or .mobi files, which they then further convert for reading via their Whispernet service. This is a proprietary format, and this file type will not be readable on eReaders such as the Nook. (Although Amazon does supply Apps for most major devices.)

The ePub format is “open source” and is readable on the majority of eReaders on the market today, although each retailer then applies their own DRM, rendering the files unreadable cross-platform. But…by beginning to accept books in the ePub format, they are joining every other ebook distributor in delivering content in a much more flexible and sophisticated format. ePub tends to support far more design options and media than the Kindle .prc or .mobi format. It’s hard to say what will happen to the ePub format as time goes on, since the introduction of the new ePub 3.0 standard not yet in use; however, why is Amazon suddenly making the change?

We think this is an even greater indication of their plan to release an Android-based tablet in the very near future. This tablet will be in direct competition with Apple’s iPad, whose iBookstore supports the ePub format, as well as ebook Apps. Since the Kindle does not support color, or much in the way of media, continuing on with that particular format once they have a tablet would only serve to limit the formatting options for ebooks sold via Amazon. Since the tablet will be able to support color, possibly Flash, and most likely much of the functionality of the iPad, it makes sense to open up the ebook format to one more widely accepted.

For authors and developers, this is good news! Currently, with Amazon and their proprietary format, to get a good design on complex content, you have to design a separate Kindle and ePub file (automatic conversion of complex content is not recommended). But if Amazon decides to accept ePub files, this may make it easier to submit books to multiple vendors without having to have multiple designs. Of course, we don’t expect everyone to begin playing nice. Naturally, there will be DRM and most likely enough differences to make the process of sharing files difficult (Apple is notorious for making things tough for developers), but for Amazon, it’s definitely a step in the right direction.

In the News…

• Amazon and Waterstones report downloads eclipsing printed book sales - The Guardian
  Published: May 19, 2011
  eBookdesigns: This was fully expected, of course. The thing that surprises me the most is how print literary publications appear to be shying away from this issue! Are they trying to keep something from their readers?