Quote:
Originally Posted by latepaul
Well exactly but that's where the specifics of anti-competition laws come in. I'm not sure at what point it becomes a "monopoly" in those terms but Amazon the device manufacturer clearly have a large majority of the dedicated ereader market which gives Amazon the bookseller a huge advantage.
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Actually, the market share number is irrelevant.
Even an outright 100% share monopoly is not by itself illegal. They would have to *also* do something that abuses their market power to hurt *consumers*. Like raise prices outrageously or force consumers to buy audiobooks to get the ebook.
Achieving a dominant market position by merely pleasing consumers is not in any way illegal outside an Ayn Rand novel or the dreams of ill-informed ambulance-chasers.
The fact of the matter is DRM is an optional feature of Kindle readers and Amazon neither demands it nor forbids it. As of today there is no law forbidding DRM or mandating support for any specific brand of DRM or file format. Amazon has the right to design their readers as they please just as Sony and Nintendo can design their gaming devices as they please.
Again, walled gardens are not illegal.