14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has launched a new version of its iBooks application mainly to include a read-aloud function featuring a real narrator. The utility is aimed at small children with the purpose of teaching them how to read.
“iBooks is an amazing way to download and read books,” says Apple.
“iBooks includes the iBookstore, where you can download the latest best-selling books or your favorite classics – day or night.”
“Browse your library on a beautiful bookshelf, tap a book to open it, flip through pages with a swipe or a tap, and bookmark or add notes to your favorite passages,” reads the company’s description for the popular iBooks app.
Suitable for both iPhone and iPad, iBooks 1.3 adds several new features and improvements, Apple says.
With a real narrator that reads books, you can “Help your children learn to read with the new read-aloud feature included in select children's books from the iBookstore,” according to the changelog.
In some books, the narrator will even highlight the words as you read along, while some enhanced books can now automatically play audio or video included with the book.
The update makes iBooks more responsive when opening very long books, and addresses an issue where some books may display the same page twice.
iBooks works on iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad, iPod touch (2nd generation), iPod touch (3rd generation), or iPod touch (4th generation) and requires iOS 3.2 or later on iPads and 4.0 or later on smaller iDevices.
While the iBookstore is available in many countries, the selection of books in the iBookstore may vary by country.
Also an Apple ID is required to download content from the iBookstore, while automatic bookmark syncing requires an active Wi-Fi or cellular data connection as well.