Apple Adds Gifting to iBookstore

Apple has added the ability to gift ebooks to friends and family through the iBookstore, reports Macworld. Users have long been able to purchase songs, movies or TV shows through iTunes, as well as standard gift cards, but the ability to gift a particular book is new.

Books can be gifted immediately, or the gift email notification can be held for a particular date, making holiday shopping particularly easy. Apple added the ability to gift App Store apps back in 2010.

iBooks Gifting

Gifting in the iBookstore works identically to Apple’s iTunes and App Store counterparts: Just choose the book you’d like to gift, then tap either the dropdown arrow next to the price (on a Mac) or the Share button (on an iOS device). On a Mac, select “Gift This Book”; on iOS, choose “Gift”—then add the recipient’s email, the sender’s name, a brief message, and the date you want it sent (now, or later). One note: On iOS, it looks like you have to tap the “Today” field under “Send Gift” in order to change to a different date.

Users can only purchase gifts for recipients using their same country store; there is no ability to gift books internationally.

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 With Apple's Own 5G Modem 'Confirmed' to Launch in March

Tuesday November 19, 2024 12:12 pm PST by
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
airtag purple

AirTag 2 Rumored to Launch Next Year With These New Features

Sunday November 17, 2024 5:18 am PST by
Apple released the AirTag in April 2021, so it is now three over and a half years old. While the AirTag has not received any hardware updates since then, a new version of the item tracking accessory is rumored to be in development. Below, we recap rumors about a second-generation AirTag. Timing Apple is aiming to release a new AirTag in mid-2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman....
at t turbo indicator iphone 16 pro max v0 8hrh7w5f3w1e1

AT&T Turbo Indicator Showing Up in iPhone Status Bar for Subscribers

Wednesday November 20, 2024 3:42 am PST by
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence. Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476 The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

Apple Releases iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 With Security Fixes

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...
Magic Mouse Next to Keyboard

No, Apple CEO Tim Cook Didn't Say He Prefers Logitech's MX Master 3 Over the Magic Mouse

Sunday November 17, 2024 3:03 pm PST by
While the Logitech MX Master 3 is a terrific mouse for the Mac, reports claiming that Apple CEO Tim Cook prefers that mouse over the Magic Mouse are false. The Wall Street Journal last month published an interview with Cook, in which he said he uses every Apple product every day. Soon after, The Verge's Wes Davis attempted to replicate using every Apple product in a single day. During that...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 1 Redux

'iPhone 17 Air' Rumored to Surpass iPhone 6 as Thinnest iPhone Ever

Monday November 18, 2024 1:07 pm PST by
In a research note with Hong Kong-based investment bank Haitong today, obtained by MacRumors, Apple analyst Jeff Pu said he agrees with a recent rumor claiming that the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" will be around 6mm thick. "We agreed with the recent chatter of an 6mm thickness ultra-slim design of the iPhone 17 Slim model," he wrote. If that measurement proves to be accurate, there would be ...
bug security vulnerability issue fix larry

Make Sure to Update: iOS 18.1.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 Fix Actively Exploited Vulnerabilities

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:52 am PST by
The iOS 18.1.1, iPadOS 18.1.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 updates that Apple released today address JavaScriptCore and WebKit vulnerabilities that Apple says have been actively exploited on some devices. With the JavaScriptCore vulnerability, processing maliciously crafted web content could lead to arbitrary code execution. The WebKit vulnerability had the same issue with maliciously crafted...
apple card feature2

Apple Card 3% Daily Cash Back Now Available From Two More Apple Partners

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:36 am PST by
Apple has partnered with select merchants to offer Apple Card users three percent Daily Cash back on their purchases, and two new companies were added to the partner list today. When purchasing goods and services from Booking.com and ChargePoint, Apple Card users will now get more cash back. Booking.com is a site for reserving flights, cars, cruises, and hotels, while ChargePoint sells...

Top Rated Comments

Futurix Avatar
143 months ago
Here's a thought, you could always ask the person you're gifting it to if they have it already. ;)

Here's a thought, a lot of gifts are supposed to be a surprise.

----------

Nice. Still waiting on Mac App Store gifting.

That would make corporate purchases for much easier!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sfrancis928 Avatar
143 months ago
Nice. Still waiting on Mac App Store gifting.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jonnyb Avatar
143 months ago
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/gift
So, a dictionary has correctly recorded the transformation in usage of a noun to a verb. What's your point? I expect it also records the fact that 'task' has, excruciatingly, become a verb as well. It's the job of a dictionary to reflect changes in usage. The fact that it does so is irrelevant. Mindlessly quoting an entry in a dictionary adds nothing. You have to think; thinking is so important.

The issue is: does 'verbing' make sense when we already have words that will do?

"It's now possible to give a book from the iBookstore" (If I give you a book it's a gift, wouldn't you say?)

"It's now possible to gift a book from the iBookstore"

What's the point of the latter, when the former is perfectly clear?

http://grammar.about.com/od/grammarfaq/f/verbingfaq.htm

I'm hoping that someone will reply "It's not that big of a deal" to make my day complete.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
decksnap Avatar
143 months ago
I'm still waiting on the feature to loan books to friends.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Icaras Avatar
143 months ago
Nice. Still waiting on Mac App Store gifting.
Yep, agreed!

Apple also needs to add the Wishlist feature to the iOS app of iBooks as well as the Mac App Store.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
milo Avatar
143 months ago
What happens if you buy a book, app, or music for someone and they already have it? Is the software smart enough to know they already have it if purchased from Apple (makes the most sense in the case of apps)? And if not, do users have the option of exchange or return? That has always been the main reason I've avoided buying apps as gifts.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)