It seems there is only one formidable opponent competing on level ground with Amazon's Kindle and that is Barnes & Noble.
With the launch of their new ebook self-publishing venture, Pubit, in early October, the book store giant is finally on equally footing with Amazon.
Pubit was the last puzzle piece in the new paradigm of publishing that Barnes & Noble needed to take on Amazon with equal word power. (excuse the pun)
Both companies have control of the entire ebook publishing process from obtaining manuscripts to marketing, sales and distribution.
Here are the similarities:
Both companies have a huge inventory of books.
Both have years of experience selling books.
Both have comparable ebook readers with similar features and now both have self-publishing ventures. (Pubit and Kindle)
And the war is on. Check these other similarities between the two competitors as they try to one up each other.
Amazon pays its Kindle authors 70% of the list price if the price is $2.99 or more.
B&N pays its Pubit authors 65% of the list price if the price is between $2.99 and $9.99.
It is free to upload and publish your manuscript as an ebook on both Amazon and on Pubit.
Both companies have free, downloadable apps that will allow their ebooks to be read on other devices such as the iPad, iPhone, Android, PC and other mobile devices.
B&N claims they have more than 2 million NOOKbook titles.
Amazon claims to have more than 725,000 Kindle titles.
Amazon lowered its Kindle price to $189 last year.
B&N lowered its NOOK price to $149.
Amazon produced a next generation Kindle that is thinner, has longer battery life and a crisper screen in a cool graphite shell.
B&N recently introduced a full color model in a graphite body with a full touchscreen.
So what's next?
More great ebook devices and apps at great prices and lower book prices.
Who will win? No one knows. Maybe both will.
For authors undecided about publishing on the Kindle or the NOOK, well, pick one or pick both. You will win either way. Both companies have an equally strong market share and different market segments.
After all, think of how boring life would be if there were only one car company, one computer company, one pizza shop, and only one big ebook retailer.
