Written By Apple has announced a new partnership with Korean webtoon publishers to expand its digital reading platform, Books. The company has teamed up with publishers like Kakao Page, Ridibooks, and Naver Webtoon to bring popular Korean web comics, or webtoons, to its Books app, making it the latest move by the tech giant to expand its content offerings.
Webtoons are a type of digital comic strip that originated in South Korea and are now gaining popularity worldwide. They are characterized by their vertical scrolling format, which allows for a more immersive reading experience on mobile devices. The genre has become a cultural phenomenon in South Korea, with webtoons accounting for a significant portion of the country’s digital content market.
Apple’s partnership with Korean webtoon publishers is part of its broader strategy to compete with other digital reading platforms such as Amazon’s Kindle and Google Play Books. The Books app has been a key part of Apple’s ecosystem for many years, offering users access to a vast selection of ebooks, audiobooks, and other digital content. However, the company has faced stiff competition from rivals, with many users preferring to use Amazon’s Kindle app for their reading needs.
The addition of webtoons to the Books app could help Apple attract new users and differentiate itself from competitors. The company has been actively seeking partnerships with content creators to expand its offerings, as evidenced by its recent partnerships with Oprah Winfrey’s Book Club and the New York Times.
In a statement, Apple said that the partnership with Korean webtoon publishers will bring “top-rated and popular webtoon series” to the Books app, with new episodes and series to be added regularly. The company also emphasized that the webtoons will be available to users in both Korean and English.
The move by Apple to include webtoons in its Books app reflects the growing popularity of the genre worldwide. In recent years, webtoons have become a major cultural export for South Korea, with many series being adapted into TV dramas, movies, and even stage productions. The genre has also gained a following in other parts of Asia, as well as in Europe and North America.
However, some experts have expressed concerns over the potential impact of the partnership on the Korean webtoon industry. The webtoon market in South Korea is dominated by a few major publishers, and there are concerns that the partnership with Apple could lead to a concentration of power in the hands of these publishers. Additionally, some worry that the partnership could lead to the exploitation of webtoon creators, who often struggle to earn a living wage despite the popularity of their work.
Overall, Apple’s partnership with Korean webtoon publishers represents a significant step forward for the company’s Books app and its efforts to expand its content offerings. It remains to be seen whether the move will help Apple compete with rivals like Amazon’s Kindle, but the addition of webtoons is sure to appeal to a new segment of readers who are looking for a more immersive and engaging digital reading experience.
