When we say that an eBook is multi-touch or interactive, we mean that it is not just static text, but allows the reader to actively interact with the content.
One multi-touch eBook supports multi-finger gestures on touch screens (e.g. iPad, tablets). Typical features include are:
- Zooming in and out of images using pinch gestures
- Rotating objects with two fingers
- Swiping to navigate between pages or chapters
Multi-touch eBooks are commonly found in Apple Books interactive titles or in children’s and educational books.
By an interactive eBook can the reader actively engage with the content, not just read it. Examples of interactivity:
- Buttons and links that open other pages or sections
- Quizzes, exercises, and checklists
- Embedded audio or video
- Interactive maps, animations, or sliders
Multi-touch and interactive eBooks are more complex to produce than simple reflowable eBooks.
They typically require fixed-layout ePUB3 or Apple Books / iBooks Author formats, as standard ePUB formats do not support all of these advanced features.