Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob Lister
Good point. If B&N wanted to include the ability to read the kindle format on a nook, would they have to license it from Amazon?
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But wait a minute, please. Just as the paper it's printed on isn't a book, the reader it's displayed on isn't the book either.
Publishers have always distributed their books through as many channels as they could including paperbacks, hardbacks, trade paperbacks, etc. Other publishers like Electronic Arts put their games on many devices as they can afford; so does Sega and all the other publishers. I have to think they go to the trouble because they make more money that way.
Amazon is in many businesses including the book shop business but they are now also in the publishing business--different businesses means different paths to maximize profit. To me, it seems reasonable for Amazon to publish in every form, paper and electronic, that people want to buy. The only reasonable question, to my mind, is whether Amazon will start selling these books through Amazon.com, setup a separate bookstore for Amazon publishing books or sell the ePub version through other bookstores. After all, the object is to maximize profit not exercise power. I look forward to finding out which one they go for.