We've heard buzz about Apple's upcoming "special media event" — scheduled for Jan. 19 — for the last few weeks. The earliest rumors alleged that the company would be announcing some education- or publishing-related news, and Ars Technica reports that the event will indeed be about publishing — eBook publishing to be exact.

 

Sources who spoke with the site said that Apple is gearing up to announce a new platform for creating interactive digital textbooks, a so-called "GarageBand for eBooks." Ars also reports that Apple will soon support the ePub 3 standard, which would make more iBooks compatible with different eReader platforms.

 

The rumored GarageBand-like platform for creating eBooks could make iPads better educational tools by providing students a more interactive learning experience, complete with 3-D images, video, and the ability to create content. If Apple does announce such a product, it would also bring more attention to digital-book platforms such as Inkling, which offers e-textbooks with note-sharing and other interactive features.

 

Stay tuned till Thursday, when we'll know exactly what Apple has in store.

 

via Ars Technica

 

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