This month’s newsletter from Sony reveals new Sony Reader apps for iPhone and Android that are set to be released in December. Sony has also added a new Mobile Apps link to their Reader Store.
The Reader apps grant access to the Sony eBook Store for purchasing ebooks and for downloading and reading Sony’s ebooks from iPhones and Android phones (no mention of an app for iPad). Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t look like it will allow for side-loading ebooks from other sources, but there’s not a lot of details at this point.
For features, the apps both have adjustable font sizes, and will be able to add bookmarks, highlights, and notes. The apps use “Reader’s page sync technology” to sync between apps and the Sony’s desktop software.
The iPhone app requires iOS 4 or higher, and the Android requires Android 1.6 or higher.
Geez, finally… I advocated this back a year ago as a way to integrate the SE phones into the more mainstream Sony line. They still could do it, by also adding a Symbian version too (come on, if Mobipocket can do it they can). It is the inevitable conclusion of going to a more open standard with their books and fighting for market share with the Kindle and Nook.
Well, here it is, New Year’s Eve and neither hide nor hair of an iPhone, iPad or iPodTouch reader application. To the question who needs another e-reader app, it is really more a matter of being able to read all of your previously purchased ePub from Sony on other devices (i.e. other than the Sony eReader).