|
I don't see Apple as competing with Amazon. Apple is content with selling devices because they know that they have a built in market that will buy the next latest and greatest when it comes out.
One kid sold a Kidney to buy and IPad and IPhone in Chinca. I heard a report that having Apple products is such a status symbol in Spain that people who are unemployed are finding ways to buy the IPhone and keep it active. God knows that there are people in the US who are inline to buy the next latest and greatest iteration even when the model they have is only one year old.
Apple is well aware of its hold in the market place. It does not need to compete with Amazon. There is plenty of evidence that Steve Jobs and other Apple executives are not worried about the e-reader market and that they really have not done much to promote IBooks. The difference between Apple and Sony is that Apple is a strong enough niche market that people will pay for the devices while Sony seems to have lost that magic. Neither are focused on selling books, only devices with a subtle nod to the books.
If Apple wanted to compete with Amazon and BN they would not have allowed apps for people to read their competitors books on their devices. So people buy the tablets, laptops, and Touches and are happy. Apple makes a killing and is happy.
If Apple wanted to sink the money into selling e-books and competing with Amazon in that area, I think we would see an interesting battle. I don't think Apple wants to compete in that arena because I don't think Apple thinks it is worth the money to them to compete.
BN is a different story. Kobo is a different story. They have to find a way to compete with Amazon if they want to survive. They do not make enough on their devices to be able to ignore the e-book market. Sony seems to have tried to make enough money on the devices while not focusing on the book store and has fallen from the leader to third or even fourth place in the device market. BN and Kobo cannot afford to lose more ground to Amazon.
|