Apple Counts 250,000 eBook Downloads in a Single Day

In a press release this morning, Apple gave a glimpse into the iPad’s first downloads (See update below). While Amazon has made a habit of not unveiling sales statistics, Apple decided to release statistics on the very first weekend.

Here’s the scoop: “Apple today announced that it sold over 300,000 iPads in the US as of midnight Saturday, April 3. These sales included deliveries of pre-ordered iPads to customers, deliveries to channel partners and sales at Apple Retail Stores. Apple also announced that iPad users downloaded over one million apps from Apple’s App Store and over 250,000 ebooks from its iBookstore during the first day.”

What do you think? Is this better or worse than you expected? What kind of effect will those numbers have on publishing?

UPDATE: Reader Eoin Purcell makes an important note, and headline was changed accordingly: “Sales is a dodgy word there. They specify downloads rather than sales!”

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