Microsoft Store loses eBook sales fight, will refund users & delete books in July: The Microsoft book store allowed customers to buy ebooks, but rather than offer them as separate downloads or in a custom reader app, the titles were instead available to read within the Microsoft Edge browser. This meant the books were also available to read on iOS and Android using the mobile version of the browser, with progress synchronized between devices to allow users to continue where they last left off.
At the time of the refunds being processed, the eBooks will be removed from each customer's Edge browser.
ZDnet reports Microsoft's official reason for closing the store is to streamline the focus of the Microsoft Store. It is also suggested the change could be linked to the April 2019 Update for Windows 10 or the company's change for Edge itself to one based on Chromium.
Microsoft's withdrawal from ebooks arrives at a time when Apple is increasing its presence in the digital reading marketplace. The iPhone maker recently announced the Apple News subscription, which offers a selection of paid content from news outlets and magazines on iOS devices.
At the time of the refunds being processed, the eBooks will be removed from each customer's Edge browser.
ZDnet reports Microsoft's official reason for closing the store is to streamline the focus of the Microsoft Store. It is also suggested the change could be linked to the April 2019 Update for Windows 10 or the company's change for Edge itself to one based on Chromium.
Microsoft's withdrawal from ebooks arrives at a time when Apple is increasing its presence in the digital reading marketplace. The iPhone maker recently announced the Apple News subscription, which offers a selection of paid content from news outlets and magazines on iOS devices.