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YUDU Media is to make a push into the education market with the launch of YUDU Education, a new service that will enable publishers to “seamlessly publish content for iOS, Android, Windows and browsers", and if users buy direct from publishers avoid aggregate fees such as Apple's 30% commission. Irish education publisher Folens launched a version of the service with YUDU earlier this year.
YUDU chief executive Richard Stephenson said publishers needed a conduit to students without a third-party intermediary, such as CourseSmart or Bilbary, getting between the publisher and the customer. The YUDU service enables education publishers to build branded “container" apps that students can download once and then use to store content.
Users can also buy direct from a publisher's website, or through iTunes, or other e-book aggregator. Stephenson said the service would enable educational publishers to maintain a relationship with schools and colleges direct. "Book publishers have in many cases become overdependent on Amazon and other aggregators but educational publishers need not, and should not, lose control of their channels to market," he said.
The e-books are stored using cloud technology, and are therefore accessible across different devices. Stephenson said the apps created were cross-platform, with desktop versions for Windows and Macs and for Windows tablets to be available in October.