Google announced on Wednesday huge news for students: You can soon buy and rent textbooks for tablets via its Google Play store.
The company announced during a press event in San Francisco that it's adding a new channel for digital textbooks, starting in August and just in time for the school year. Users can access these textbooks via the web, Android and iOS devices.
Although no information was given about pricing, Google said we will see a "comprehensive selection of titles" from five major publishing houses. Textbooks can be purchased or rented for about six months. Content will also be available up to an 80% discount.
"Instead of a 400 page doorstop, Google Play books brings you awesome new features like search, bookmarks, highlighting, notes and even night mode, so you don't wake your roommate," Ellie Powers, Google Play product manager, told attendees.
Notes and bookmarks will be synced across all devices, whether a user is accessing it online or later on a smartphone or tablet.
Some of the major subjects coming to Google's textbook collection will include math, law, accounting and chemistry.
"For just the cost of one new Nexus 7, you can buy that and rent all of your textbooks instead," Powers said.