Originally Posted by K-Thom
As a publisher I'm offering both formats for years. And since both formats are based on the same html file, it is merely a matter of some minutes to alter the "ePub-html" file to fit the needs of a "Mobi-html" file.
The limitations often is a matter of the shop software used.
It simply is easier to offer but one format. One file linked to one eBook, to one customer's account, one DRM scheme to be taken care of (and most shops use some kind of DRM method).
Usually the smaller the vendor the more formats offered - down to authors who sometimes offer formats which usually are outdated by now, but still sought after by readers.
Amazon bought Mobipocket back in 2005. ePub was developed in 2007.
In 2005 Mobi/prc was very well established and (next to PDF) the cross-platform format. I don't know if Amazon would have made the very same deal in 2007 or rather just have waited for ePub to establish.
So, Amazon invested quite a lot of money. Too much money to drop Mobi and switch to ePub. And why should they? The success of the Kindle proves Amazon right.
But the ball is in Amazon's court. It could just drop the exclusivity licence and allow manufacturers to integrate a DRM Mobi next to a DRM ePub. Would make everybody's life a whole lot more easier.
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