I cannot find the book samples I downloaded.

I cannot find the book samples I downloaded.  Just as I have for the last 10 years I find a book in the store and click “download sample”. It confirms my ID and then the usual download icon shows progress until it is complete. Then they are nowhere to be found in my library. Where are they? (iPad Pro 2018, iOS 12.11)

iPad Pro 12.9-inch, 3rd Gen, Wi-Fi, Cell

Posted on Jan 27, 2019 7:14 PM

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11 replies

Jan 28, 2019 5:30 PM in response to Zaptrax

Hey Zaptrax,


Thanks for using Apple Support Communities. It sounds like you're unable to see recently downloaded books in the Apple Books app on your iPad. I'd like to see how I can help. What happens if you force close the Apple Books and restart you iPad? How to force an app to close on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

You may also want to update to the latest iOS 12.1.3 as well. Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch


Let us know the results.

Best Regards.

Jan 28, 2019 7:07 PM in response to Moozito

I forced closed the Books app and then downloaded and installed the 12.1.3 update. The iPad restarted but no sign of the book samples. Next I went to the store, downloaded two more samples and I cannot find either one. While I think the Book app and store needed a redesign, the new design is awful. Can you tell me where the samples are in the app? I've looked in Library/Collections/Books (and Downloaded, My Books, etc.), Reading Now and I don't see the downloaded samples. After buying over a 100 books from Apple and almost every one began with me downloading a sample, I'd call this a disaster to my future patronage of the Apple Book Store.

Thanks.

Jan 28, 2019 7:29 PM in response to Zaptrax

After buying over a 100 books from Apple and almost every one began with me downloading a sample


Hopefully, although you've lost your samples, you still have all your purchased books.


We cannot speculate here about why Apple does or does not do certain things. But if I owned and could govern Apple, I would also make samples disappear.

Jan 28, 2019 7:50 PM in response to sberman

I guess that is why you don't own Apple and why you don't govern Apple. :) Virtually every bookstore in the world knows that the way you sell books is to let people read books in their store so they will buy them. This is from Apple's website for authors and publishers: "If you sell a book in the iBooks Store, you need to create a sample book for customers to preview before they purchase. iBooks Author can create a sample book based on one of your book’s chapters, or you can create a sample yourself using the steps below."


My guess is that this is a bug and not a change in policy. Thanks.


Jan 28, 2019 7:54 PM in response to Zaptrax

the way you sell books is to let people read books in their store so they will buy them.


This sounds perfectly reasonable. But "let people read books in their store" means there's a limit on where (or how long) they can peruse the sample. They cannot, for example, take the sample home without purchasing the book.


I do not mean to imply that samples are a bad idea, should not be allowed, or anything of the sort. I do mean that samples are not something to be archived.

Jan 28, 2019 7:46 PM in response to Zaptrax

I should update my comment above about book samples not being saved.


I believe the previous behavior was that book samples were saved on the specific device that obtained them. (I have several devices using the Books app under my Apple ID: iPhone, iPad, Mac). Other devices could not access these samples without downloading them. I am not certain when this behavior changed to the current model - after iOS 12, but I don't know how long after.


This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

I cannot find the book samples I downloaded.

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