[fjtorres]

There are two issues here:
1- in-app purchases which have never been allowed. If this is the issue: Bad Sony! It is hardly a change of policy. It may be an obnoxious policy but it is already in place. Don't like it, don't deal with Apple.

2- access to pre-owned/externally-acquired content. If this is the issue: way to go Apple! Android supporters (among others) thank you. Just bear in mind that to thoroughly block off all-externally acquired content they also have to block browser-based downloads. This would mean that not only is in-app buying blocked but also personal library synch-ing, OPDS catalog access, dropbox side-loading, and *theoretically* browser downloads of ebook files. Otherwise, consumers could go to a custom web-page to download pre-acquired content.

I don't think Apple wants to go as far as to ban browser-based file downloads but that's what they'll have to do if they really want all content to go through the appstore or iunes.

Funny, when I saw the recent report that Apple iBooks had 30% market share among iPad book buyers I thought Apple's ebookstore was doing better than anybody could have expected, considering its limitations. If this report is as bad as suggested it would seem Apple isn't content with anything less than 100%.

I expect a clarification, one way or the other, to come soon.