JK Rowling first announced her intentions to take Harry Potter into the digital realm last summer, with the launch of Pottermore.com. The proposed October launch was put back to this year after user-testing showed some changes were needed and, well, all seven novels are available electronically as of now.
The boy wizard has now arrived in the digital age, and although the Pottermore homepage suggests the site is still in closed beta, the e-store is open for business.
The e-books will only be available in English at first, covering the US and UK editions, however the site indicates that French, Italian, German and Spanish editions will follow imminently.
Device support
Whilst the Harry Potter e-books will be compatible with all the standard digital reading devices, including Kindles and Nooks, Pottermore has partnered with four service providers to link your Pottermore shop account with:
- Sony Reader online account (US and Canadian based customers only)
- Amazon Kindle (available in most countries)
- Barnes & Noble Nook (US and Canadian based customers only)
- Google Play
As The Bookseller reports, the e-books won’t be available via the iBookstore, after Pottermore failed to reach an agreement with Apple prior to launch.
JK Rowling is said to have a net worth of around $1bn, after her wizard novel series and associated films and merchandise have proven immensely popular with children and adults alike around the world.
The final Harry Potter movie hit cinemas last year, and Pottermore looks set to keep the Harry Potter brand ticking over nicely. The brand is thought to be worth in excess of $15bn, and after resisting making her work available in digital form for years, the wait is finally over for fans.
The whole Pottermore site, which combines elements of computer games, a social network and an online store, opens in early April. But you can buy the books from today.
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