I think that Apple is in double trouble here with book sellers such as Amazon and now with newspaper and magazine publishers. This is the latest article I did for Joy of iPad on this:
Anyone who doubts that Steve Jobs being missing from Apple's helm is important need only look at the latest decisions and policies from Apple to appreciate why Apple needs his guidance. The latest is what Apple has released as to their subscription plans for publishers after a year or so of Jobs' negotiations -- all of which seem to have been circularly filed by those in charge at Apple now. A quote from CNN's money page to illustrate:
"The New York-vs-Silicon Valley cold war between Apple and the publishing industry just got even icier.
"Apple on Tuesday unveiled its long-awaited subscription model for content on its mobile devices. The company has been crafting its policy and holding quiet negotiations with publishers for nearly a year, but the plan it announced showed few signs of diplomatic compromise.
"Apple's take-it-or-leave-it approach: It wants 30% of all sales generated through its platform, and it alone will have customers' names and contact information unless buyers opt in to share that data with content creators.
The publishing industry's response? Silence. Crickets."
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