Google has updated its Google Play Books iOS app following its keynote address at Google I/O this morning, adding support for user uploaded PDF and ePub files.

googleplayuploads

Google Play, the world's largest eBook collection, just got bigger. Now, you can upload your own files to Google Play Books to access on Android, iOS, and the web. Whether you're a student with a backpack full of PDF printouts or an avid reader with hundreds of pages held captive on your computer, relieve your back and start adding files today!

After uploading your files, you can enjoy reading them with all the nice features available: bookmarks, highlights and notes, dictionary and more. What's more, your reading progress, highlights etc are synced to the cloud, so if you have multiple devices, you can easily pick up reading anywhere!

The Google Play Books app has also been redesigned to add a Read Now section, featuring books that have been recently purchased, upload, or read. This update also brings both stability and performance improvements.

Apple has long supported the ability to upload both ePub and PDF files through iTunes so the new version of the Google Play Books app brings it up to speed with iBooks.

Google Play Books is a universal app that can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

Huracan Avatar
154 months ago
When would Apple allow reading iBooks from any platform, i.e. through a browser? Perhaps through iCloud website. This is ridiculous. Amazon and Google are much better value for your book dollars, as you can read the material in many more platforms than iBooks.

Does anyone have a good reason why one should buy a book from the Apple bookstore as opposed to Amazon or Google to give an example? Perhaps I am missing something. Hopefully this will make Apple wake up and provide more value to their customers.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Klae17 Avatar
154 months ago
You know what I love about all these updates from Google? Because it MIGHT get Apple to move on the old and tired iOS. Hoping!
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Snowy_River Avatar
154 months ago
If you purchase eBook on let's say a work computer, but your iTunes is on your home computer Mac. What would be the easiest more secure way (besides emailing it) to transfer back home? Voila, uploading it to the cloud.

Why not just redownload it when you get home? So long as the two computers both are connected to the same iTunes account, there's no problem here.

If the ebook in question is from another source, then, I would agree that Apple could make it a little easier to get it into iBooks, such as clicking on an ePub file in an email. But I don't see the need for a "cloud" solution.

I, personally, prefer iBooks for reading, for a number of reasons. However, I get many of my books in ePub format from other sources. Not having much in the way of non-iDevices, the lack of such support doesn't effect me that much. However, I am one who supports the idea of Apple creating broader support for more platforms with iBooks.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
conradwt Avatar
154 months ago
When would Apple allow reading iBooks from any platform, i.e. through a browser? Perhaps through iCloud website. This is ridiculous. Amazon and Google are much better value for your book dollars, as you can read the material in many more platforms than iBooks.

Does anyone have a good reason why one should buy a book from the Apple bookstore as opposed to Amazon or Google to give an example? Perhaps I am missing something. Hopefully this will make Apple wake up and provide more value to their customers.
I read a lot of technical books. Thus, I can usually get better deals on eBooks directly from publisher's website than Apple, Google, or Amazon. Furthermore, Apple uses the EPub format which works great for iDevices. However, Amazon only sells the Kindle format if you're talking about eBooks. Last but not least, why in world would I want to upload the eBooks that I have purchased?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Coming Next Week With These New Features for Your iPhone

Friday February 14, 2025 6:18 am PST by
The first iOS 18.4 beta for iPhones should be just around the corner, and the update is expected to include many new features and changes. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the iOS 18.4 beta to be released by next week. Below, we outline what to expect from iOS 18.4 so far. Apple Intelligence for Siri Siri is expected to get several enhancements powered by Apple Intelligence on iOS...
iPhone 17 Roundup Feature 2

iPhone Design to Change 'Significantly' This Year

Monday February 17, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple is set to "significantly change" the iPhone's design language later this year, according to a Weibo leaker. In a new post, the user known "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone's design is "starting to change significantly" this year. The "iPhone 17 Air" reportedly features a "horizontal, bar-shaped" design on the rear, likely referring to an elongated camera bump. On the other...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

What to Expect From the 'Apple Launch' Next Week

Thursday February 13, 2025 11:48 am PST by
Apple has yet to announce any new devices this year, but that could change starting next week. Apple CEO Tim Cook today said to "get ready" for a "launch" on Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," said Cook, in a social media post. The post includes an #AppleLaunch hashtag, along with a short video featuring an animated Apple logo inside of a circle....
Apple Maps 2024

Apple Maps Might Start Showing Ads

Sunday February 16, 2025 7:22 am PST by
Apple is "exploring" the idea of showing search ads in the Apple Maps app, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Back in 2022, Gurman said software engineering was "already underway" to display ads in the Apple Maps app, but Apple did not move forward with the idea at the time. Today, he said Apple is "giving this notion more thought" again. This time around, he said Apple has yet to...
Tim Cook Apple Park

10+ Announcements Apple Could Have Rolled Into a February Event

Saturday February 15, 2025 8:00 am PST by
Apple appears to have enough upcoming product announcements to justify a full event this month, yet all signs indicate these reveals will be handled through a series of press releases instead. There are a multitude of rumors from reliable sources about specific announcements in the coming weeks, so here's everything that Apple could have feasibly included in a hypothetical February event: ...
iPhone 17 Pro Render Front Page Tech

iPhone 17 Pro With All-New Camera Bar Design Allegedly Revealed

Thursday February 13, 2025 5:49 pm PST by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro will feature three rear cameras arranged in a familiar triangular layout, but the cameras will be housed in an all-new rectangular camera bar with rounded corners, according to YouTube channel Front Page Tech. iPhone 17 Pro camera design render created by Asher for Front Page Tech In a video uploaded today, Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser said the camera ...
m2 pro mac mini

Apple is Now Selling a Refurbished Mac Mini for Just $319 (!)

Saturday February 15, 2025 9:58 am PST by
A few days ago, we reported that Apple's refurbished Mac mini pricing had a problem, and it appears that Apple has taken note. Apple was offering a refurbished Mac mini with the M2 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage for $559, which was $50 more than a refurbished Mac mini with the M4 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. All other key specifications were equal. That's no longer...
iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

Apple's Next iPhone SE Launching on Wednesday - Here's What We Know

Friday February 14, 2025 4:04 pm PST by
Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an Apple announcement that's coming on Wednesday, February 19, and it's looking like that mystery announcement will be the next-generation iPhone SE. We've been hearing about the iPhone SE 4 for quite some time now, and we essentially know everything to expect. If you want a sneak peek at what's coming, read on. Naming Apple first introduced the iPhone SE in...