Bertelsmann?s Random House is expanding its publishing program to bring children?s content to new channels of digital distribution such as mobile devices.

Random House Children's Books is partnering with digital media agency Smashing Ideas to develop book-based children's applications for mobile devices. Smashing Ideas will help Random House develop experiences for all screens, with a focus on digital products and destinations around brand characters in the children and youth markets.

?The reality is, smartphones and tablets are already having a huge impact on the publishing industry, and it is happening very fast,? said Brian Burke, executive director and general manager of mobile and devices at Smashing Ideas, Seattle. ?It is more than a trend?it is actually an evolution in the industry.

?A major inflection point is taking place that is critical for those in the industry to participate in it?they must be aware of it and take action,? he said. ?We?re really excited right now to be partnering with Random House to be creating these engaging digital products.

?Children?s books are a perfect example of an adaption for this medium, which is why interaction with these devices works for kids and parents.?

Random House Children's Books claims to be the world's largest English-language children's trade book publisher.

The imprints of Random House Children's Books create books for toddlers through young adult readers in all formats, from board books to activity books to picture books, novels and ebooks.

Smashing Ideas is a digital media agency for the youth market. Its clients include Cartoon Network, Disney, GE, Hasbro, Nickelodeon, Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Verizon Wireless.

Book apps for children
Forrester Research projects that ebooks will generate between $3 billion and $5 billion in sales and represent 20-30 percent of all books sales by 2012.

Applications based on print books are another way for publishers to gain wider distribution and boost revenue.

Random House Children's Books will work in close collaboration with Smashing Ideas' newly formed ePublishing group?led by the co-creator and developer of Alice for iPad?and with key Random House children's books authors, illustrators and brands to produce digital products that marry story, design and technology. 

With application stores being the fastest-growing new channel for digital content, Random House is trying to create new revenue streams by rolling out applications for various mobile platforms.

Mr. Burke said that Random House brings an extraordinary publishing history and a state-of-marketplace understanding of children's book content, brands and their audiences.

The partners have not yet announced for which mobile platforms they will be developing applications, but it is a safe bet that Apple?s iPad will be a priority.

Random House has not set a firm date for the release of the first application based on one of its children?s books.

?Mobile is a medium that is appropriate for the adaptation of books, and specifically children?s books,? Mr. Burke said. ?If you look at the way that children and their parents engage in reading, mobile devices are entering the home, which is an evolutionary step for the children?s book market.

?This is a generation that is very familiar with mobile devices, and the expectations of mobile experiences will only grow as these generations begin to age,? he said. ?Mobile has become a de facto experience in the publishing industry and it will be as important as the printed book.?

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