Quote:
Originally Posted by murraypaul
If they wanted to control the market:
a) Why did they arrange for prices to be fixed, so that they couldn't use their much greater cash pile to buy marketshare?
b) Why did they allow Amazon/B&N/Kobo to have eBook apps in the first place? Amazon don't allow it on the Kindle, B&N don't allow it in the Nook or Nook Color.
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Well, as I don't own any black turtlenecks I can't say for sure why Apple did anything.
My
opinion is that Apple thought that they would do the same thing this time that they did with iPod - take over and create the vehicle for sales later. The money is never made in creating infrastructure prior to sales, that would just be stupid. And regarding fixing prices: it was Apple's price of admission. Agency6 didn't really need a large seller, they have those by the truckload. What they needed was someone to give them leverage against their other sellers - which is exactly what Apple did.
Why
does Apple allow 3rd party book apps on their iOS system? Ummm, my guess is because the iPad
is not an ebook reader the same way the iPhone is not a phone.* The iPad is a tablet computer so it needs a lot more content than a dedicated ebook reader. That plus the fact that the iBook store was crap-on-a-stick when it first opened...
* I've spoken [read complained] to Apple about this, according to them it is a computer with a phone application (which is a distinct difference, they say, when dealing with a warranty)