(Image Source The Verge)

BY JIM FLINK

ANCHOR CHRISTINA HARTMAN

We told you about the rumors.
Now, Apple is on the record about its plans for textbooks and ipublishing.
And it could revolutionize education.
Here’s Apple’s promotional video -- with a sneak peek.

“Digitization of education is going to be the opportunity of this century.  The textbook on the iPad is so much bigger, broader and more dynamic, because, what it does, is it brings the curriculum alive.”  
 

Apple is teaming up with some of education’s biggest textbook publishers -- and opening up the keys to self-publishing to nearly anyone.
Ars Technica reports on some of the features unveiled today.
 

“Books created for iBooks 2 can have all manner of media attached, complete with multitouch capabilities … including multiple-choice questions with immediate feedback within the text, the ability to make notes ... ways to explore embedded graphics and 3D animations, full-motion movies, and more.”
 

So -- so long heavy cumbersome textbooks -- hello lightweight, interactive learning?
The blog LockerGnome says -- imagine the possibilities here.
 

“But imagine layering on video, and interactivity, and threading, and collaboration.  The world is your oyster as a student.”
 

Not to mention -- the world of textbooks -- just got cheaper.
Appropriately, Fortune, takes a snapshot.
 

“At least a dozen iPad textbooks are already available from such major educational publishers as Pearson and McGraw Hill for $14.99 or less. That’s a price that could prove disruptive in an industry where textbooks often start at $60 apiece.”
 

So -- why would textbook publishers go along with this plan?
All Things Digital says -- follow the math here with one of Apple’s e-partners.
 

“...McGraw-Hill ... will sell its books directly to each student, who will use the book for a year, then move on. They’ll be able to keep the digital text, but won’t be able to resell it or pass it along to another student...  So Terry McGraw figures that over five years, he’ll generate the same total sales selling $15 ebooks as he would selling $75 books.”
 

SplatF says -- skeptics remain.
 

“The initial skepticism I’m seeing is around the cost of adoption: Sure, digital textbooks are cheaper and lighter, but iPads are expensive! And school systems are broke!”

Going on to say....


“This is going to happen. And in many places, it’s going to start with us, not them.”
 

Apple also announced the unveiling of hundreds of college courses from places like Harvard and Yale -- available now -- for free -- on iTunes.