Apple’s Ping Social Network and Books « PWxyz

Among other revelations from yesterday’s Apple event was the unveiling of Ping, a new social network that runs through iTunes, which allows users to recommend, comment on, and discover iTunes music and to follow artists, who update their profiles regularly. It’s a bit like Facebook for friends and famous people crossed with a store.

Though Ping currently only works with Apple’s music content, it can’t be long till the company pulls in the books from the iBookstore, meaning there will be a new and very robust way for readers to find and talk about e-books, and also meaning that Copia–whenever it launches–has something big to worry about.

Apple has clearly struck deals with artists like Lada Gaga (who already has over 59,000 followers on Ping) to keep their profiles current.  Imagine Jonathan Franzen on there, too, yammering away about his favorite new books (though Ping doesn’t seem like his style), drumming up all kinds of enthusiasm among readers for whatever he’s reading, when they then go and download to iBooks.

This is essentially what Copia is built to do, and perhaps Copia’s platform is a bit better, though Apple has the tremendous advantage of a huge head start and a tremendous customer base.  If they turn Ping toward books, it will only take a matter of days to catch on in a big way.

Apple’s Ping Social Network and Books « PWxyz.