Amazon and DRM changes

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Graham44

I've also read, several times, that Kindles are basically a loss leader, that they are essentially just a way to get people into the Amazon ebook ecosystem (may not be so true for the more premium Kindles). Even mega corporations like Amazon can only punish their customers so much before they start to suffer from loss of sales. Only time will tell if Amazon customers are happy to put up with these sorts of shenanigans or not.

So far, most of them seem to be. Only a small part of their customers care about things like DRM removal, format shifting and personal backups.

[John F]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

The devices are also sold at- or below-cost, iirc, and they make up the sales with eBook purchases. (People complaining about Kobo prices because it's Amazon subsidizing the Kindles.)

Thank you Amazon for the lower cost readers.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by John F

Thank you Amazon for the lower cost readers.

Before these color monstrosities, we had Kobo with similar devices being cheaper.

[Graham44]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

So far, most of them seem to be. Only a small part of their customers care about things like DRM removal, format shifting and personal backups.

*Personal opinion following, not facts, just my opinion*

See for me all of those are just symptoms of the real problem which is a company that see's it's customers as just a resource to be bled dry - it's kind of like buying a new car from a dealer and then the dealer telling you you can't drive the car on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. It's not really even about DRM removal, I can understand that authors, retailers etc want to protect their goods from being illegally distributed, but you should be able to at least store the book you've bought how you want. And this is just the thin end of the wedge, if customers to accept these changes companies like Amazon won't stop they will push for more and more control over stuff you've bought until in the end you will be paying them for goods and services that give you next to nothing in return,

'You'll own nothing and be happy' - WEF

[lkmiller]

In the US for the non-premium Kindles, it's $20 more to get one without lockscreen ads.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Graham44

See for me all of those are just symptoms of the real problem which is a company that see's it's customers as just a resource to be bled dry...

Enshittification

[Graham44]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Enshittification

It certainly is!

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Graham44

It certainly is!

Yep. I've been Amazon customer since 1997, and a Kindle customer since 2011. The Amazon of today is a far, far echo of the Amazon of those days.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If Amazon was to stop making/supporting their Kindles, there would be very many people jumping ship, It would not be a good business decision to do that.

No, because the majority read on Apps now.

There might be many, but probably not very many. They do have over 90% of English Language ebook sales world wide. They have the exclusive ebooks too. Also Audible works better on a phone than a Kindle.

They strongly push KU subscriptions and Audible.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by John F

Thank you Amazon for the lower cost readers.

As far as I recall, when Kobo introduced their first ereader in May, 2010, it was the cheapest 6" ereader on the market. Oddly, in July, 2010 Amazon introduced new lower cost models. The New York Times story headlined "In Price War, New Kindle Sells for $139" from July 28, 2010 might be worth reading before thanking Amazon for lower cost ereaders. If I remember correctly, the Kindle 2 was priced at $299 while it's Kindle 3 successor in August, 2010 was priced $139 to undersell the Kobo ereader at $149 ( the K3 was $189 if you wanted 3G connectivity).

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Quoth

No, because the majority read on Apps now.

There might be many, but probably not very many. They do have over 90% of English Language ebook sales world wide. They have the exclusive ebooks too. Also Audible works better on a phone than a Kindle.

They strongly push KU subscriptions and Audible.

If you bought a new Kindle and Amazon decided to drop it, you'd be rather pissed.

[John F]

Originally Posted by DNSB

As far as I recall, when Kobo introduced their first ereader in May, 2010, it was the cheapest 6" ereader on the market. Oddly, in July, 2010 Amazon introduced new lower cost models. The New York Times story headlined "In Price War, New Kindle Sells for $139" from July 28, 2010 might be worth reading before thanking Amazon for lower cost ereaders. If I remember correctly, the Kindle 2 was priced at $299 while it's Kindle 3 successor in August, 2010 was priced $139 to undersell the Kobo ereader at $149 ( the K3 was $189 if you wanted 3G connectivity).

I guess I'm missing your point. It looks like Kindles were the cheapest (according to your post). I tried to find your NY times article, but it wanted me to create an account; what was your take away from the article.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by John F

I guess I'm missing your point. It looks like Kindles were the cheapest (according to your post). I tried to find your NY times article, but it wanted me to create an account; what was your take away from the article.

https://archive.is/https://www.nytim.../29kindle.html

[John F]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

https://archive.is/https://www.nytim.../29kindle.html

Thank you for the link. So it looks like, at the time of the article, Kindle's were the cheapest with the other brands fairly close. And from DNSB's post, Kobo's were the cheapest at one point. Interesting that Kindle's were sold as loss leaders and I don't recall posts of other company's readers being loss leaders. I would think that Kindles could be cheaper due to higher volume in markets where they dominate.

[Graham44]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If you bought a new Kindle and Amazon decided to drop it, you'd be rather pissed.

And? you are assuming Amazon would care you're pissed, they wouldn't, they would only care if enough people were, and that's the crucnh, would enough people care or would enough of their customers just shrug their shoulders and use an app instead? Even if you had a million annoyed Kindle customers if they had 20 million other customers who weren't bothered Amazon wouldn't be either