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I believe that any disruptive technology forces a re-evaluation of the value chain. Short term it hurts a lot of parties but long term the parties adding value remain. Short term there is going to be pain for authors but long term I believe they are adding the most value and they deserve the largest piece of the pie. Everything else is incremental value and should be compensated as such . The authors have to recognize this and take charge. (Some already are). It's difficult to do now because pulp sales are still the majority but the tipping point is coming fast.
The publishers are focusing on the price and missing the big picture that they aren't delivering the value to support their cut of the pie. Amazon and Apple are happy to collect their 30% and don't care how the 70% is divided. They're as happy to pay the author the 70% as the publisher.
I think the decline and fall of the big publishing houses is coming. Not because they're stupid but because they aren't adding value. Publishers will remain but they'll be smaller and able to demonstrate their value.
The biggest threat to authors is the same as it is today. Too many authors chasing too few readers.
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