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iBooks Review: Premium e-reader for the iPhone and iPad

Apple’s iBooks app has a smaller selection than Kindle, but a much better iOS experience

Kindle is the brand most associated with ebooks, but the iOS experience is sub-par. Apple’s iBooks may have a smaller selection (although it’s still massive) and higher prices (although not always, and rarely by much), but it gives you a superior experience on your device and across all your Apple kit.

Unlike Kindle for iOS, iBooks provides a complete solution, with the app also enabling you to make purchases. Previously bought items are stored in iCloud and can be downloaded if you’ve a web connection. Additionally, you can load your own ePubs and PDFs into the app.

ibooks-paper-curl

The interface may now be simpler, but the page curl remains!

During the iOS 7 revamp, Apple stripped its apps of texture, and iBooks looks comparatively barren, wooden shelves having given way to characterless gradients. However, the interface is otherwise a pleasure to use, from the very smart text options through to the subtle page turn animation. Explore further and you unearth other great features, including cross-device bookmarking, and a grid view in PDF that’s perfect for rapidly searching magazines and comics.

ibooks-paper-curl

A panel provides options for adjusting how your content appears.

So iBooks might not be the cheapest option out there but, rather like your iPhone, we think it’s the best.

Price: Free
Size: 31.0 MB
Version: 3.2
Developer: Apple

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