Steve Jobs Was Behind iBooks 2, Says Publishing Chief

[Michael Essany]

Shortly after Steve Jobs passed away last October, rumblings around the tech industry suggested that we would continue to see projects and products born of Steve Jobs' vision for many years into the future.

As it turns out, yesterday gave us a glimpse at one such project originally devised by the late Apple co-founder.

On Friday, one day removed from Apple's introduction of iBooks 2 and the arrival of digital textbooks for the iPad, McGraw-Hill CEO Terry McGraw told All Things D that he fondly recalls working with Jobs as recently as last summer on the project that would be central to yesterday's announcement.

"He (Jobs) should be here. He probably is (in spirit)," McGraw told the publications. "This was his vision, this was his idea, and it all had to do with the iPad."

"Apple has really essentially turbocharged the process (of building e-books), and it's just going to open up the world of learning to more people," McGraw said, indicating that he shares the enthusiasm possessed by Jobs before his passing. "Anything we can do to be a part of that, we're going to do."

As the official Steve Jobs biographer Walter Isaacson had previously confirmed, digital textbooks are just one of the major areas of interest Jobs was working on before his resignation as CEO last August. The other pet-projects he spearheaded were supposedly related to photography and connected (possibly Siri-powered) HDTV's.

Source: All Things D

[GmAz]

BFD. They are going to use that for years to come.

[expl0itfinder]

Does anybody know how ibooks 2 runs on the fresh ipad 2 untethered?

[Jj2345]

Does anybody know how ibooks 2 runs on the fresh ipad 2 untethered?

I was wondering the same thing,still can't believe the old man passed tho :-(

[Cer0]

BFD. They are going to use that for years to come.

Just wanted to let other's know that he had wanted to do this for a while. This is not coming from Apple saying this; this is coming from the publisher.

[domenicp]

BFD. They are going to use that for years to come.

I remember seeing an interview of Jobs from 1995 where he was going on about how he thought education was the biggest area for improvement and he thought technology could solve a lot of that. So I don't think this is just a marketing strategy.

[iRepairIndy]

BFD. They are going to use that for years to come.

Yep..... same thing I was thinking.

[Jj2345]

I guess with the jailbreak out this I a bad time to make threads about anything else but the new jailbreak

[txprestige]

I don't think anyone is really surprised to learn Steve had a hand in projects that come to fruition so soon after his death. What worries me most is if Apple loses its inventive spark and simply continues to refine existing products like IBM or HP has for many decades. I guess we'll know in a few years.

[Cer0]

I don't think anyone is really surprised to learn Steve had a hand in projects that come to fruition so soon after his death. What worries me most is if Apple loses its inventive spark and simply continues to refine existing products like IBM or HP has for many decades. I guess we'll know in a few years.

Don't think that will happen any time soon with Ive still hanging there.

[bigboyz]

It only makes sense..a visionary sees well into the future. We will see many more ideas realized in years to come.

[Feanor64]

who gives a *mod edit*

Please watch your language thank you

[CMartins]

BFD. They are going to use that for years to come.

Because it is true? Do you have any doubs on that? Steve Jobs was always thinking ahead of time and he certainly left plans on the table for Tim Cook to follow.

Does anybody know how ibooks 2 runs on the fresh ipad 2 untethered?

I tested it yesterday and it worked as it should.