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Every conscious customer should be worried about this Apple initiative because clearly there is only one possible player who will pay for Apple's greed: the customers.
The main problem here is that Apple suddenly wants a slice from the pie of e-publishing and from the pie with which Apple has absolutley nothing to do at that.
Apple wants money for something it provides NOTHING in turn. E.g. as far as Amazon or B&N books Apple adds nothing to the story. There were some claims previously in this topic that Apple does provide some kind of service for which it deservers some money.
Well, here is a scenario which reveals that Apple indeed provides absolutely nothing for the money it claims.
Jack and Jill have identical content consuming habits, especially for e-books.
- In the morning they both read on their PC.
- In the afternoon they both read on their phone.
- In the evening they both read on their e-reader.
- They purchase e-books immeditely as the idea comes into their mind, and they purchase the e-book on the same platform they are reading on at the moment.
The only difference is that Jack has iPhone and Jill has Android.
The cost of Jill's reading is:
Cost = Author + Copyright owner + Publisher + Retailer
The cost of Jack's reading for books he purchases not in the afternoon:
Cost = Author + Copyright owner + Publisher + Retailer
The cost of Jack's reading for books he purchases in the afternoon:
Cost = Author + Copyright owner + Publisher + Retailer + Apple
Who would pay for the extra cost in the last example? Of course the customers! Only infinitely naive people would think otherwise.
If really there is value added by Apple (thus justifying the extra cost) then it is easy to answer the following questions:
1. How is it any better for Jack than for Jill?
2. How is it any better for Jack to read in the evening on his e-reader the e-book he purchased in the afternoon than to read in the evening on his e-reader the e-book he purchased in the morning?
3. How is it any better for Jack to read on his PC the e-book he purchased in the afternoon than the e-book he purchased in the evening?
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