Quote:
Originally Posted by Horemheb
Now Apple wants to extort money from an existing and thriving business without any added value whatsoever. Apple wants to do exactly nothing for the money. This should not be allowed in itself on principle but it should not be allowed also because it would screw all customers (not just Apple customers) by increasing overall prices.
It is obvious to anyone who is not an iCult member or Apple worker that Apple's plan is highly unethical and is against the interest of ALL players except Apple (authors, publishers, retailers, CUSTOMERS). It is so obvious that it is extremely unethical that authorities started to examine it because it may be even illegal.
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The 'added value' that Apple is bringing to all of the vendors who want to sell on the iPad is the Apple customer, those of us who live in an all-aluminum-and-shiny-white-plastic world. The idea of everything being done within app, within the 'walled garden', and payed for via our Mac account is exactly what we are used to, what we expect, and what we want. That is how we buy music and audio books for our iPods, movies and TV shows for our Apple TVs, and how we will buy books and magazines for our iPads. And, if you believe all the drivel, we have more money than most and are used to overpaying.
Most companies would kill for customers like this (us
).
As for doing nothing for the money, they are providing the platform that will bring NEW customers to these merchants. Without an iPad would a Nook user buy a book from the Kindle store or vice-versa? And what about the people who did not have a dedicated reading device before but now have one that can read anything from anyone? This is a brand new customer base for ebooks and their sellers that Apple has created with the advent of the device and platform.
I don't think we will see price increases at all. The big sellers are all going to participate because none of them can afford not to participate. Do you see Barnes and Noble walking away and leaving this entire market to Amazon? They can't afford to because they would also be risking the loss of their current customer base. If I've got a Nook and an iPad but can't buy/sync Nook content but I can buy/sync Kindle content what am I going to do? If I need multiple devices and sync I'm getting rid of my Nook and replacing it with a Kindle. Amazon can't leave the market to B&N because they would basically be propping up their own biggest competitor, a competitor with financial troubles that need this new market and technology to save them from eventually going under. And both of these companies are probably more than willing to see no profit, if not a loss, on their iPad sales as long as they see their iPad presence lifting their direct website sales.
Once other similar tablet devices launch and the vendors are also selling on these platforms the Apple percentage becomes even less important. The vendors should have increased sales overall even if their profit margin is a bit less. The iPad app simply becomes like that very, very expensive corporate B&M store that may not sell enough to meet expenses but makes up for it in PR.
While you may feel their methods or motives are unethical, they are in business for one reason, to make money, to make all the money they possibly can, for themselves, for the company, and for their stockholders.