Summary: We're focusing on platforms this month and Apple's iOS is still the one to beat. Android has momentum but recent reports indicate it's still not a serious threat to iOS, <a href="http://toc.oreilly.com/2012/08/bns-results-point-to-larger-industry-concerns.html">at least not on the tablet front</a>. The much-rumored <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57497094-37/production-of-rumored-ipad-mini-to-hit-4m-per-month-says-report/">iPad Mini</a> will only reinforce Apple's position and potentially eliminate consumer interest in other tablets. Is the iPad Mini for real? What does the future of the iOS platform look like? I recently sat down with <a href="https://twitter.com/DrCrypt">John Brownlee</a>, <a href="http://www.cultofmac.com/">Cult of Mac's</a> Deputy Editor to discuss. Key points from the full video interview (<a href="#interview">below</a>) include: Will Apple ever be a player in the ebook space? — The iPad Mini will change everything. If the specs and pricing match John's predictions it will be hard to consider buying anything else on the low end. [Discussed at the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgYin3d8E2I&feature=youtu.be#t=1m00s">1:00 mark</a>.] Apple has always been about profit, not share — John provides an interesting contrast between Apple and Amazon. It's even more noteworthy considering the current DOJ situation and the debate over the wholesale vs. agency models. [Discussed at the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgYin3d8E2I&feature=youtu.be#t=2m05s">2:05 mark</a>.] The benefits of eInk, in a tablet — Apple has been one of the leading innovators with both displays and battery life. It's only a matter of time before they close the gap and produce a tablet that has all the benefits of an eInk device. [Discussed at the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgYin3d8E2I&feature=youtu.be#t=3m55s">3:55 mark</a>.] Native apps vs. HTML5 — It's not an either/or situation but it's still pretty easy to identify the shortcomings of a non-native app on the iOS platform. [Discussed at the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgYin3d8E2I&feature=youtu.be#t=5m18s">5:18 mark</a>.] Future of iBooks Author — Despite a lack of buzz John believes <a href="http://www.apple.com/ibooks-author/">iBooks Author</a> is another important long-term play for Apple. (I'm still skeptical, especially since this tool is only useful for Apple's platform.) [Discussed at the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgYin3d8E2I&feature=youtu.be#t=7m35s">7:35 mark</a>.] You can view the entire interview in the following video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgYin3d8E2I&feature=youtu.be This post is part of the <a href="http://toc.oreilly.com/podcasts">TOC podcast series</a>. You can also subscribe to the free <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/tools-change-for-publishing/id465091714">TOC podcast through iTunes</a>.
