Google made several big announcements yesterday, and while most people (including yours truly) are excited about the second generation Nexus 7 and Chromecast, Google announced another service that has the potential to be a major game changer for education. Google Textbooks will launch in early August 2013, just in time for the start of classes. With purchase and six-month-rental options, this upcoming service has the potential to revolutionize how college students purchase textbooks. More importantly, the company can help change the exorbitant price of textbooks and is poised to do so if the promised “up to 80 percent off” retail price is widely delivered. Much of the service’s success will depend on Google’s selection of textbooks. With the announced pre-launch agreements with the five major textbook publishers, selection could be huge, depending on how much of the publishers’ libraries will be made available.
Of course, Apple has been working in the digital textbook market with an emphasis on high school texts for some time. For nearly a year, Amazon has offered digital texts for sale and rent (select titles only), but if the lines at the bookstore on the first day of the term are any indication, neither company has made a dent in the printed book mindset. Indeed, a study out earlier this year showed that students tend to prefer traditional paper books to digital books. Google’s entry into the textbook market could change that. With the digital giant’s reach, readability across multiple software platforms (yes, including iOS), and cheaper tablets like the Nexus 7, the time might be right for digital textbooks to finally overtake print.
To make that happen, Google needs to make some major commitments. Apple’s focus has been on high school texts, with a surprisingly limited college library; Google needs to corner the university market with a breadth of content that gives students the option of a completely digital-only semester. Amazon has made some inroads in digital college textbooks, but often the used paperback edition costs only a few dollars more than the digital edition, making the choice for print over digital an easy one. Google’s digital editions need to convincingly win the pricing war. Amazon advertises relatively low rental prices for select textbooks, but check out the fine print and you’ll see that the advertised price is usually based on 30- and 60-day rentals, an incomprehensible option when life moves in semesters. Google already has a leg up on Amazon here, with announced six-month rental periods. If Google provides a low price, students will flock to Google Play for their textbooks.
College is expensive, and students are aware that they need to lower the cost as much as possible. Google has a real chance to help students and make a buck in the process, both with books and tablets on which to read the books. Here’s hoping the company has learned the right lessons and gets it right.
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