NYT: Apple Moves to Tighten Control of App Store - Page 21

RockdaMan · 02-15-2011, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham

Except that it doesn't really apply in the case of, say, ebook sales does it?

No one is forcing you. As for others...it's up to them.

Graham · 02-15-2011, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RockdaMan

No one is forcing you. As for others...it's up to them.

Which is what this thread is about.

Graham

athlonkmf · 02-15-2011, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham

I suppose the obvious response by Amazon, given that it appears they can make no profit on the app (at least under Agency pricing), would be to turn it into a pure reader and remove the store functionality. They may even have to get it made by a third party to get round the rules!

Graham

Why would Amazon do that? No one knows how many kindle books are actually bought from the app or kindle it self. I for one like to browse the amazon website, check out reviews and such before I plunge in.

In simpler terms: if people buy from their website or kindle. Fine. If people buy from the apps, ok, it's 30% less, but it's still a sale.
If amazon pulls their app, they lose a potential market. 30% less on a sale is still much, much better than no sale at all.

murraypaul · 02-15-2011, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by athlonkmf

Why would Amazon do that? No one knows how many kindle books are actually bought from the app or kindle it self. I for one like to browse the amazon website, check out reviews and such before I plunge in.

In simpler terms: if people buy from their website or kindle. Fine. If people buy from the apps, ok, it's 30% less, but it's still a sale.
If amazon pulls their app, they lose a potential market. 30% less on a sale is still much, much better than no sale at all.

Not if for an agency book, they are required to give the publisher 70% of the price. Then 30% less on the sale is slightly worse than no sale at all, as they have incurred the cost of sale, with no return.

carld · 02-15-2011, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by athlonkmf

In simpler terms: if people buy from their website or kindle. Fine. If people buy from the apps, ok, it's 30% less, but it's still a sale.
If amazon pulls their app, they lose a potential market. 30% less on a sale is still much, much better than no sale at all.

It's not a sale if Amazon loses money on it. Given Agency Pricing and Apple's 30% tax I don't see how they can sell books profitably. And if they can't make money they'll exit the market.

RockdaMan · 02-15-2011, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carld

It's not a sale if Amazon loses money on it. Given Agency Pricing and Apple's 30% tax I don't see how they can sell books profitably. And if they can't make money they'll exit the market.

You've got it all figured out. BTW, in which fortune 100 company are you a member of senior management?

tomsem · 02-15-2011, 09:12 PM

So why didn't Apple reject the update to Kindle for iOS that went out yesterday? The Kindle Store link is still there, no in-app purchasing thru iTunes.

Dopedangel · 02-15-2011, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomsem

So why didn't Apple reject the update to Kindle for iOS that went out yesterday? The Kindle Store link is still there, no in-app purchasing thru iTunes.

Apple has given till june for current apps to meet its requirement.
It is interesting how this will play out. But it seems to me Apple is looking at antitrust lawsuit it was unable to compete in ebooks with Amazon so it is just forcing it out.
Kindle app and the way it was selling books has been around for almost 2 years now Apple is suddenly introducing or maybe enforcing rules that it wasn't before after it has introduced a competing product.
But to me the funny thing is Amazon is on the other end of something similar that it has tried with ebooks and is trying with android apps.

Piper_ · 02-15-2011, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham

By my reading, there's nothing to stop them buying off the retailers' websites, but if that is possible then that retailer cannot supply an app which has no method for purchases through Apple
[...]

So I don't think Amazon can simply remove all web links for purchasing from the current app.

OK, this is what I'm gathering too, with the addition that the store cannot charge more for in-ap purchases to make up for the 30% (!) cut apple gets from those.

If that's not the case, Apple needs to speak up and clear the misunderstanding.

If it is the case, then Apple will lose me, to put it mildly, and tons of other people, judging from every blog and board - tech, social, professional, other - I've seen buzzing about this today.

I have to believe Apple will backpedal - due to public or other pressure. If not, I hope Netflix, Amazon, et al, give their customers a clear explanation of what Apple is demanding. Perception is everything, and I don't foresee objective people seeing this 30% cut demand as fair-dealing at all.

The only winners I see are all these new tablets coming out this Spring.

carld · 02-15-2011, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RockdaMan

You've got it all figured out. BTW, in which fortune 100 company are you a member of senior management?

There's no need to be snarky and sarcastic. If you don't like my post then just move it along toots!

Crowl · 02-16-2011, 07:51 AM

Beyond the example of agency pricing meaning that amazon getting no money at all from an ios sale, there are other apps such as some of the streaming audio services that are already making less than 30% as it is.

The stupid thing about all this is that these various apps and services are making apple's product more appealing to the consumer so it is false for apple to consider they get no benefit from them without trying to get these additional fees.

I know for sure that I'd look elsewhere for my next tablet losing apple the money from the hardware sale not to mention any apps I might have bought.

tubemonkey · 02-16-2011, 08:09 AM

It wouldn't bother me one bit if content providers pulled their apps from iDevices. I only download free apps and content on my iTouch.

carld · 02-16-2011, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crowl

I know for sure that I'd look elsewhere for my next tablet losing apple the money from the hardware sale not to mention any apps I might have bought.

I have to say my interest in the iPad has cooled a lot. I think I'll just wait a bit and pick up a nice Android tablet.

Kali Yuga · 02-16-2011, 09:03 AM

Keep in mind that the requirement for in-app / in-store purchases currently only applies to subscriptions. The official announcement strictly discusses subscriptions.

Purchasing content on a non-subscription basis is not affected.

This is the same as how Amazon treat magazines -- they take a high percent of the cut; they refuse to share customer data with the magazine publisher; delivery is locked down.

So, the Kindle app won't change, unless they added their magazine offerings to iOS apps without my noticing.

HappyMartin · 02-16-2011, 09:30 AM

I wrote to Apple asking for some clarity on the future of the Kindle app but they have not responded. I may still buy an Ipad but only once these issues resolve themselves.

Apple can really irritate me and I own 4 G5 computers and I forget how many Ipods. Now where was the thread on Android devices again?

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02-15-2011, 09:12 PM	#307
tomsem Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,949 Karma: 27060153 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	So why didn't Apple reject the update to Kindle for iOS that went out yesterday? The Kindle Store link is still there, no in-app purchasing thru iTunes.

02-16-2011, 07:51 AM	#311
Crowl Wizard Posts: 1,340 Karma: 1160346 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Southport, GB Device: Kindle Voyage, PW Signature edition	Beyond the example of agency pricing meaning that amazon getting no money at all from an ios sale, there are other apps such as some of the streaming audio services that are already making less than 30% as it is. The stupid thing about all this is that these various apps and services are making apple's product more appealing to the consumer so it is false for apple to consider they get no benefit from them without trying to get these additional fees. I know for sure that I'd look elsewhere for my next tablet losing apple the money from the hardware sale not to mention any apps I might have bought.

02-16-2011, 08:09 AM	#312
tubemonkey monkey on the fringe Posts: 45,767 Karma: 158733736 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle Metro Device: Moto E6, Echo Show	It wouldn't bother me one bit if content providers pulled their apps from iDevices. I only download free apps and content on my iTouch.

02-16-2011, 09:03 AM	#314
Kali Yuga Professional Contrarian Posts: 2,045 Karma: 3289631 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle 4 No Touchie	Keep in mind that the requirement for in-app / in-store purchases currently only applies to subscriptions. The official announcement strictly discusses subscriptions. Purchasing content on a non-subscription basis is not affected. This is the same as how Amazon treat magazines -- they take a high percent of the cut; they refuse to share customer data with the magazine publisher; delivery is locked down. So, the Kindle app won't change, unless they added their magazine offerings to iOS apps without my noticing.

02-16-2011, 09:30 AM	#315
HappyMartin Martin Kristiansen Posts: 1,546 Karma: 8480958 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Johannesburg Device: Kindle International Ipad 2	I wrote to Apple asking for some clarity on the future of the Kindle app but they have not responded. I may still buy an Ipad but only once these issues resolve themselves. Apple can really irritate me and I own 4 G5 computers and I forget how many Ipods. Now where was the thread on Android devices again?