14 DAY TRIAL // In light of yesterday’s ‘educational’ announcements, Apple has released iTunes 10.5.3, an update to the company’s media player and digital distribution platform. The new release brings support for iBooks textbooks on iPad.
According to a technical note posted by Apple on the Support / Downloads area, “iTunes 10.5.3 allows you to sync interactive iBooks textbooks to your iPad. These Multi-Touch textbooks are available for purchase from the iTunes Store on your Mac or from the iBookstore included with iBooks 2 on your iPad.”
The company outlines that “iBooks textbooks are created with iBooks Author — now available as a free download on the Mac App Store.”
The changelog ends with a link to the alleged documents describing the security content of the update, yet Apple’s Security Updates page is only featuring iTunes 10.5.1 as the latest update that contained any security patches.
Not to worry, iTunes 10.5.3 should incorporate all the security fixes that have been included in all previous versions of iTunes.
Download iTunes for Mac OS X (Free)
Download iTunes for Windows (Free)
The new iBooks 2 app is immediately available today as a free download from the iTunes App Store. It brings a bunch of new features including fullscreen books, interactive 3D objects, diagrams, videos and photos.
According to Apple, “the iBooks 2 app will let students learn about the solar system or the physics of a skyscraper with amazing new interactive textbooks that come to life with just a tap or swipe of the finger.”
“With its fast, fluid navigation, easy highlighting and note-taking, searching and definitions, plus lesson reviews and study cards, the new iBooks 2 app lets students study and learn in more efficient and effective ways than ever before.”