Amazon cracks China’s e-book market

E-commerce giant Amazon has opened its Kindle e-book and appstore in China.

The Amazon Kindle iPhone and iPad app was launched in the Chinese appstore while the Android version is available for download from Amazon’s website.

The store features Chinese versions of Kindle apps and a localised Kindle e-bookstore. Around 22,500 Chinese language titles are offered by the store.

The opening does not include yet the sale of Kindle devices such as the Fire HD. However, it is expected the company will sell Kindle devices soon like what it did in some countries it previously opened.

Once the devices have been rolled out in the market, it would be a rival to Chinese e-book reader manufacturers Hanvon, Shanda and Dangdang.

With e-reader sales steadily increasing in China, the market is predicted to equal the US by 2014 from being the second largest currently, says Renub Research.

Amazon has been continuously expanding its Kindle e-book and appstore with recent openings in India, Japan and Brazil.

GB

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