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Apple's iBook Store looks unlikely to be made available outside of the US at launch, RegHardware is reporting.
The iPad web pages went live yesterday, following the launch of the device and connected book store late on Wednesday. According to technology website, "the UK page...matches its US equivalent... in all respects but one: it lacks the US' iBooks entry".
The Apple website also carrieshttp://www.apple.com/ipad/features/" target="_blank"> "a tiny" footnote at the bottom of the page saying 'iBooks is available only in the US'.
Apple is known to have been in talks with various publishers Stateside, however there has been little sign of discussions going on this side of the Atlantic, suggesting the territorial rights issues for the e-books have yet to be worked out.
"Apple will surely want to strike similar deals overseas, and may have already begun this process," the article said. "What's worrying is that rather than acknowledge iBooks and state that the service may not be available immediately on launch, Apple is hiding it away. The implication: it may be some time before either application or store debut over here.
"Worse, it clearly suggests iBooks is for material acquired through Apple and not e-books you may already possess."