For years, college students would make the trip to the bookstore every semester to buy textbooks and sell them back. However, in recent years, the Internet has started to play a part with websites such as Amazon joining in on the textbook business. Now, even Apple has jumped in and is offering textbooks for college students who own an iPad.

Apple is building off of the successful iBooks application to include digital textbooks. At $14.99 per textbook, they are cost effective compared to print books, which range from $40-200 on average. The digital textbooks can be updated instantly, unlike print textbooks.

The new iBooks app also includes a note card function that allows students to make study aids like digital note and flash cards. Apple has even partnered with Mc-Graw-Hill, Pearson Educational and E.O. Wilson to produce digital versions of textbooks. Currently, only eight titles are available, but more are expected before the fall semester.

Some students are excited about the announcement.

“I think that it is better for students if they have the option to buy a textbook in e-book format. It’s often cheaper and they don’t have to carry around a book,” said Taylor Diaz, a junior Spanish major from Dry Prong.

The major disadvantage, though, is that students need an iPad, preferably the 32GB or 64GB models, to use the iBooks app. Also, some professors may be wary about students using iPads in class instead of a physical textbook.

The app can digitally mark pages, which could appeal to some students who are used to highlighting. “I’m old school. I like to mark my readings up, which is also highly encouraged in grad school,” said graduate student Rachel Williams. “So, if the apps were sophisticated enough to do that, I’d be sold.”

The new iBooks app may be downloaded from the App Store for free.