WebProNews

Google may have an online e-book store in the works. CEO Eric Schmidt implied this to reporters at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week, according to BBC News.

Schmidt said that such a venture would depend on gaining permission from copyright holders.

Reporters asked if Google would be considering a program similar to Sony's where deals were made with major publishers to sell e-books, and thus bolstering sales for its new e-book reader.

Schmidt said he wanted "to be clear" that Google would consider it, as long as permission was acquired.

A deal to sell electronic versions of published works may sooth the dispute between Google and publishers over Google Book Search, a multimillion dollar project to scan and index all English-language books.

Such a service would put Google in direct competition with Amazon.com, and create more competition for Microsoft.

Jason L. Miller is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business.