Amazon unveils service for reading, buying Kindle books on browsers

Amazon.com Inc. unveiled a service Wednesday that lets Kindle users read their e-books on Web browsers, increasing the number of places readers can access digital content. The service, called Kindle Cloud Reader, adds the Safari and Chrome Web browsers to the list of places Kindle books can be read or bought. The e-books were already available for consumption on the device itself, as well as through smartphone and tablet applications. The move also gives iPad users an easy way to buy Kindle books via Web browser, which could allow Amazon to sell Kindle books on the Apple Inc. tablet while avoiding a fee Apple charges for digital content sold via apps. Kindle Cloud Reader automatically synchronizes the user's Kindle book library, as well as information stored in the e-books, such as the last page read, bookmarks, notes and highlighted text.
Amazon Kindle Director Dorothy Nicholls said in a statement the service is a "leap forward" in the company's strategy to "help customers access their library instantly from anywhere." The new offering could help Amazon circumvent new terms Apple laid out in February for companies wanting to sell digital content via its devices. Apple said companies selling digital media, including books, needed to make that content available for sale via an app, rather than through a link within the app to an outside website. As part of the change, Apple said it would take 30% of each sale.But Kindle Cloud Reader gives iPad users the option to buy books using the tablets Safari Web browser, rather than on the Kindle app. Amazon.com, which now sells more Kindle books than real books, said the service will be available for additional Web browsers such as Microsoft Inc.'s Internet Explorer and Firefox in coming months.

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