Apple iBooks service to be rebranded to 'Books'; working on a new app for iPhone and iPad

A new Bloomberg report suggests that Apple wants to get back into the game after long ignoring the iBooks app. The app still comes built-into all iPhones and iPads to date but looks a bit drab and boring in comparison to the other apps from Apple and still has some elements of the old iOS skeuomorphic design language, when you check out your books in the shelves view.

Apple iBooks. Apple

The new app that Apple is said to be working on will be called just 'Books'. It will take inspiration from the recently overhauled App Store and should look similar in more ways than one.

There will be a simple interface, that puts the focus on books that are currently being read with the book store part resembling the App Store.

Also new is a 'Reading Now' section. Also available will be a dedicated tab for audio books, one that should counter Google's recent efforts to bring audio books to its Play Store on Android phones.

Back in the days of Steve Job's iPhone (circa 2012) and skeuomorphic design, almost every iPhone owner would remember how beautifully every page of the Apple's e-books would turn over in what was a patented animation by Apple.

Apple iBooks. Apple

Indeed Apple was serious of what it was offering to its users back then, but all of its efforts were lost when the brand was accused of conspiring to raise ebook prices. The US Department of Justice issued a hefty fine of $450 million to Apple and since then, the market has been dominated by Amazon and its Kindle e-reader.