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New iBooks update opens door to fully illustrated publishing

Apple’s latest version of its iBooks app, which allows e-books to have a pictorial layout similar to printed books and supports full page illustrations, has been hailed by one publisher as being “the beginning of a phenomenally exciting phase in picture book publishing”.

The new version of the online store means all publishers signed up to Apple’s terms on the iBookstore, including HarperCollins, Hachette, Penguin, Pan Macmillan, Canongate and Simon & Schuster, will be able to release fully illustrated e-books.

I may be wrong, but I’m pretty sure that the sales of picture books have been drooping recently in the UK.

As someone who grew up loving my picture books, I’m very thankful the medium has new market to expand into.