Apple’s e-book reading app updated with numerous tweaks and fixes

Mar 9, 2012 09:31 GMT  ·  By

iBooks is one of Apple’s most nourished iPad applications, which makes it not so surprising to see that the Cupertino giant has given it extra attention in light of the new iPad’s debut.

Apple says “iBooks is an amazing way to download and read books.”

The app has the iBookstore built-in. There, “you can download the latest bestselling 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,” says Apple.

The app looks and feels amazing on the iPad’s 9.7-inch screen, and you can bet it’s twice as pleasant to use on the new iPad’s Retina display at 2048x1536 resolution. What's new in version 2.1, you ask?

Well, for starters, you can “read books more easily with sharply detailed text on the new iPad's amazing Retina display,” according to the company headquartered at 1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, California.

The rest of the newly added features are listed as follows:

• See page numbers that correspond to the printed edition of select titles • Search for a page number to jump to a desired page with a single tap • Use your finger as a highlighter when swiping over text • This version also includes a number of important stability and performance improvements.

iBooks requires an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 4.2 or later. For Retina display goodness on the iPad, iOS 5.1 is required. But you don’t have to move a muscle because the new iPad comes with iOS 5.1 pre-installed.

An Apple ID is required to download from the iBookstore, and automatic bookmark syncing requires an active Wi-Fi or cellular data connection.

iBooks supports titles created with iBooks Author, titles in ePub format, and PDF documents. iBooks textbooks are exclusive to the iPad. Also, they’re currently available only to customers in the United States.

Download iBooks 2.1 (Free)