Quote:
Originally Posted by jswinden
I suspect that if Amazon were to switch to ePub, which does not look likely at the moment, that we would see a rapid decline in other proprietary formats. It probably would not be as dramatic or quick as when BluRay beat out HD DVD, but it would certainly push most of the mega ebook retailers into the ePub format, as far as the American market goes. Sony and B&N are already using ePub, so if Amazon switched to ePub that would be an industry changing moment. But each would no doubt use a different DRM scheme.
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I don't wish to start an argument but I think you've overlooked the Kobo reader, Borders reader, Jetbook and Jetbook Lite, EZ Reader and Pocket Pro to name a few eBook reading devices in the US market. All of the others are using the same Adept DRM. I think Jon's point was that Amazon is swimming upstream. Amazon seems to me to be tying to force everyone to buy their products exclusively while the rest of the eBook industry is forming around at least a standard for the books. There are also dozens of eBook stores selling Adapt encoded ePub with competition on prices and services, but there is no place to get AZW books except Amazon. It does seem a bit monopolistic.