The Publishing Year In Review

A quick look back at the mile markers of 2011:




January


Post-holiday ebook sales spike to 23.5% of all U.S. trade book sales
Amazon now selling more ebooks than paperbacks
Kindle Singles launches


February


U.S. ebook sales up 202% over previous year
Barnes & Noble selling twice as many ebooks as print books online
Apple begins enforcing new in-app purchase rules requiring 30% cut
Apple and the "Agency Five" publishers come under investigation for price fixing
Random House last of "Big Six" to adopt the agency pricing model
Harper-Collins caps library ebook loans at 26, to the chagrin of everyone else


March



iPad 2 launched: it sells in massive numbers without slowing throughout the year
Amazon launches Appstore (and is subsequently sued by Apple over the name - unsuccessfully)
Google Books settlement rejected by Federal judge
Self-pubbed author Amanda Hocking signs 7-figure deal for four books


April



Amazon offers local library loans through OverDrive


May



Amazon now selling more Kindle ebooks than all print books combined
Amazon hires trade vet Larry Kirshbaum to head its publishing division
Barnes & Noble launch the eInk Nook Touch ereader
Kobo also launch an eInk touchscreen reader
Random House reaches 2 million ebook sales


June



Pottermore launches (without any content or apparent plan)


July



Borders is liquidated
Amazon buys The Book Depository
Google launches the iRiver Story ereader, but no one cares


August



Amazon launches a web-based reader to counter Apple's in-app purchase policy
Apple and the "Agency Five" publishers hit with multiple civil lawsuits
Steve Jobs steps down as CEO of Apple


September



Amazon launches the new Kindle line, with prices ranging from $79 to $199 for the 7" Kindle Fire tablet
Barnes & Noble stocks plunge as a result
Prices of ebook readers plunge as well


October



Death of Steve Jobs
Wall Street Journal launches ebook bestseller list
ePub 3 spec finalized
Amazon announces KF8 (Kindle Format 8), but doesn't release the specs
Kobo releases the Kobo Vox 7" tablet reader


November



Kindle Lending Library launches as part of the Amazon Prime program
Penguin pulls new titles from Overdrive library lending program
B&N launch the 7" Nook Tablet, but inexplicably keeps making the Nook Color


December



EU begins investigation into Apple/Agency 5 price fixing
Amazon buys 450 Marshall Cavendish children's titles
Amazon price check app causes flurry of retailer agitation
Sales continue to decline at Barnes & Noble, dragged down by fading print book sales
Amazon selling over a million Kindles a week


And those are just some of the main events of 2011. All in all a rather busy year. Stay tuned for the next round...it's shaping up to be a doozy.