Google Set to Launch Global eBook Rental Service

4. July 2013

Estimated reading time: 1:41 min.

For Google, the eBook market may not be a core business area like it is for Amazon, but the search giant is nonetheless continuously working on expanding its book services. In 2011, the eBook store was first opened outside the USA in Australia and the UK, then in Germany in 2012, and a few weeks ago in Austria. Google’s eBook efforts not only include the mere sale of digital content but also the digitization of old works. For instance, Google collaborates with the Austrian National Library to digitize historical works.

But back to the topic of eBook sales. Google’s eBook store is now available in several parts of the world and can be accessed directly from the Google Play Store, which, considering the success of Android on smartphones and tablets, is a factor not to be underestimated in the competition for market share.

eBook Lending Service in the Works

As Matthias Matting reports in his blog, Google has adjusted the Partner Program policies and included sections on eBook lending. It states that lending prices can be set as a percentage of the regular sale price of the eBook depending on the rental period. The shortest rental period is specified as 24 hours, with no refunds possible unless the content is faulty.

Until now, Google has disabled the Android functions “Copy,” “Paste,” and “Print” for eBooks from the Play Store to prevent piracy. However, with the lending service, the company intends to take a new approach. At least 20 percent of an eBook should be available for copying in both the rental and purchase versions. Otherwise, the eBook cannot be offered for lending.

Since Google’s offering apparently charges a price per book depending on the rental duration, there are likely to be no (relevant) limitations on the number of books that can be lent. At Amazon, the lending library is included in the Amazon Prime package, which includes various services, allowing you to borrow one eBook per month without time restrictions. It is not known when the Google lending offer will launch.