Why You Can Trust CNET Kindle, Kobo apps follow iPad international launch
With the release of the iPad worldwide, Amazon's Kindle and Kobo e-readers have gone international too.
With the Apple iPad's international launch on Friday, consumers worldwide gained access to Amazon.com's Kindle app and Kobo's e-reader--apparently ahead of Apple's own iBook store.
Amazon's free Kindle iPad app is now available to all countries where the iPad is offered, Amazon said. The app lets people download and read e-books from Amazon's online bookstore without need for Kindle hardware.
Meanwhile, Kobo announced Friday that it has expanded the reach of its free iPad app to Canada, the U.K., and Australia. The regional versions offer local content and merchandise, according to Kobo. The Kobo app includes five free e-books, while Kobo's e-book store offers more than two million titles, both free and for purchase.
According to Wired, both Amazon and Kobo beat Apple to the punch. As of Friday, Wired reported, Apple's premium iBook store for the iPad was available only in the U.K. so far.
The iPad made its international debut Friday morning in Japan, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Canada.