Launched this week: Official Iain Banks iPhone App

The Guardian is running a feature today on the brand new Iain Banks iPhone App that will be available to download – free of charge – from the UK Apple App Store from Thursday July 1st.

Iain’s response? “My own app… how deeply cool. This pleases as much as seeing my first novel in print.”

The release of the app is timed to coincide with the publication of the paperback edition of Transition and will act as a companion to the novel, offering exclusive material including: unseen chapters, character biographies, commentary from Iain and his original notes and plan for the novel.

A unique barcode printed in the back of the paperback edition will unlock the exclusive content. Just point your iPhone’s camera at the code for scanning, and the companion features for the book will be transmitted to your App screen. Fans who already own the hardback edition of Transition can unlock this content as well, by following the simple instructions contained within the app.

Free Iain Banks Transition iPhone App

And this App won’t stop with Transition. Content and features on future titles will be added as the App develops, Banks fans will have ongoing access to the most up to date news and features.

The App has been developed for Little,Brown by New Zealand & UK based digital agency TradeMobile. Founder Jen Porter said of the project: “At TradeMobile, we believe mobile technology must enhance and enrich the user’s experience. So unlocking the ‘story beyond the story’ with one of the world’s leading publishers is an extraordinary project and a UK first that will quite simply transform the reading experience for ever.”