Apple launches new Breakout Books section in iTunes

Online ebook retailers may have made it easier for major publishers to distribute their books, but they've also opened a path for independent authors. Writers who run into obstacles promoting the paper versions of their novels can now turn to online bookstores as an alternative and Apple is also helping them out.

Thanks to a new "Breakout Books" section in the iTunes bookstore, Apple will be promoting novels published by independent authors. The move resembles Amazon's attempts to promote self-published titles for their Kindle and Apple will definitely enjoy the good publicity. The books are supposedly hand-picked by Apple editors, but overall popularity will definitely play a role.

For the time being the only genres available are Romance, Sci-Fi & Fantasy and Mysteries & Thrillers, but other content is grouped under a "More to Explore" section. In addition, the fact that the books are all independently published gives them appealing price points, and the Breakout Books section might be an ideal place to search for your next read.

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