Google has announced plans to launch its own e-book store in the first half of next year, called Google Editions.

It will launch with a catalogue of half a million e-books, offering publishers a 63% revenue share. Payment will be via the Google Checkout system. The news was announced at the Frankfurt Book Fair.

The store will also allow e-books to be bought from other online stores, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. E-books will be hosted and searchable on Google's store.

Key to the store's appeal will be the ability of customers to read the e-books on any device with a web browser, including smartphones and netbooks, and possibly also existing e-book readers.

However, according to Reuters, Google won't be launching its own e-reader device to tie in with the store.

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The news adds further momentum to the e-books market, following Amazon's recent announcement of an international Kindle, and new e-readers from Sony, Barnes & Noble, iRex,