Amazon Makes an End-run Around Apple With iPad-Optimized Kindle Web Site

Last July, Apple demanded that Amazon retract some features from its Kindle for iPad app — namely, that users couldn’t purchase books from within the app — but now the online superstore is fighting back. Amazon cleverly found a way to dodge Apple’s App Store’s restrictions with the launch of its new touch-optimized Kindle Store for iPad on Tuesday. Readers can now enjoy Amazon’s Kindle store, purchases and all, on their Apple tablet without ever even visiting the App Store.

Readers simply enter the Kindle for iPad site (www.amazon.com/ipadkindlestore) through Safari on their iPad and can immediately start searching for titles and reading samples and full purchased eBooks. Acting as an independent app, the Kindle Store can be added to your iPad home screen for quick and easy access.

The online store is attractive and extremely user-friendly, with a large font and icons: You can search for a specific book or peruse through one of the store’s categories, broken into sections such as customers’ top rated books, best-selling books and New York Times’ best sellers. The selections are also sorted by genre so readers can make a selection based on their interests. 

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