Epub 3.3 standard from W3C supporting highlights/notes compatibility between devices?

[aferrol]

Dear forum,

After skimming through the standard and navigate several resources online (youtube videos, forums...) I am not sure whether the new standard finally allow for highlights/notes compatibility between devices/programs. Can anyone shed some light on it?

Thanks!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by aferrol

Dear forum,

After skimming through the standard and navigate several resources online (youtube videos, forums...) I am not sure whether the new standard finally allow for highlights/notes compatibility between devices/programs. Can anyone shed some light on it?

Thanks!

https://epubsecrets.com/epub-3-3-is-here.php

https://w3c.github.io/epub-tests/results

[aferrol]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

https://epubsecrets.com/epub-3-3-is-here.php

https://w3c.github.io/epub-tests/results

Yeah, Already seen this but not able to interpret it. Is is possible, with the new standard, to see the highlights taken in kobo/kindle in calibre when loaded the epub file?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by aferrol

Yeah, Already seen this but not able to interpret it. Is is possible, with the new standard, to see the highlights taken in kobo/kindle in calibre when loaded the epub file?

Not possible at all. Just because It's specified in ePub 3.3, that does not mean it will be supported. Besides, it's too new and a lot of software doesn't get updated to the latest spec.

As for Amazon, it's not ePub. So that's out 100%.

[Turtle91]

What Jon means to say is that it’ll take awhile before apps are updated to conform to the new spec. Once done, you should be able to read these standard-format highlights/notes across any/all apps that support the new spec. But it may take awhile before you’ll see this widely adopted.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Turtle91

What Jon means to say is that it’ll take awhile before apps are updated to conform to the new spec. Once done, you should be able to read these standard-format highlights/notes across any/all apps that support the new spec. But it may take awhile before you’ll see this widely adopted.

Years upon Years.

Most ePub apps for Android/iOS are never going to be ePub 3.3 compliant.

[Turtle91]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Years upon Years.

Most ePub apps for Android/iOS are never going to be ePub 3.3 compliant.

lol

Probably. But the threads in MR can last an amazingly long time. Future readers could be confused if they see you say it’s “not possible at all”, when by that time it actually can.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Turtle91

lol

Probably. But the threads in MR can last an amazingly long time. Future readers could be confused if they see you say it’s “not possible at all”, when by that time it actually can.

I cannot see existing apps having how they store highlights being changed any time soon. There are currently no ePub 3.3 compliant apps and I don't see this happening in my lifetime.

I don't see my comment as an issue. I think by the time it is possible, MR will be no more.

[KevinH]

Thorium e-reader is now available for Android. It is epub3 compliant with lots of nice features.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Not possible at all. Just because It's specified in ePub 3.3, that does not mean it will be supported. Besides, it's too new and a lot of software doesn't get updated to the latest spec.

So new features should never be added because implementation can't be instantaneous?

As for Amazon, it's not ePub. So that's out 100%.

Well, we can hope that someday KindleUnpack will support it, since some kindle owners would like a standard way to export their personal highlights and notes. EPUB would make a good intermediate or final step for that.

Also conversion by calibre could eventually support conversion of EPUBs with this new scheme to kindle format complete with highlights and notes.

Yes, it will take time, and even maybe might never happen. That doesn't mean it is 100% impossible and it certainly doesn't mean it shouldn't be discussed.