NYT: Apple Moves to Tighten Control of App Store - Page 9

carld · 02-02-2011, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Apple confirmed Tuesday that it would require app developers that sell e-books outside of their iPad and iPhone apps — through a Web site, for example — to also sell the books inside those apps. And purchases that originate in the app must be made through Apple, which keeps a 30 percent cut.

If Apple also requires that the prices in-app match prices out-of-app, I could see Amazon being unable to make a profit on their ebooks and exiting the iPad market.

snipenekkid · 02-02-2011, 07:38 PM

carld:

nothing about that precludes Amazon from adding a iTunes Store fee to every item on their site along with a note indicating the the reason for the added fee. Then if Apple responds by removing the Kindle for iOS app it could have serious repercussions in the iOS developer community's confidence in developing for the platoform. Also I see it as ending the low cost apps moving to at least $6/app as the entry price. Also what about free apps which are only buggered with ads?

No matter what the 30% fee will eventually be the end of a lot of content for the whole iOS family of devices. Funny there is not the same situation for Mac PC's though.

This could indeed get very ugly before it gets better. And in this case I think Amazon responding by adding a fee equal to the Apple fee while telling buyers they can visit the Amazon site to purchase the same thing for less would be very justifiable compared to the banishment of whatever publisher at the beginning of the whole Agency mess.

All I can say is if this blocks my ability to add my own content to the device then the whole iOS platform is dead to me, and more importantly, it would likely end any interest by the corporate world. That is why I really can't believe Apple intended to imply that any content purchased outside the app will not be allowed. It's also quite ironic that after the whole "...people don't read anymore" quip by Jobs that Apple would take such a strong position on ebooks. Then again perhaps as someone previously mentioned it's more about customer data than selling of content.

Of course Apple could be trying to stem any of these apps from cutting into Apple's cash cow which is video and audio content. There is no reason the content purchased via any of the bookseller sites must only be books. It could easily be audio or video.

Like I mentioned earlier this is going to be really complicate with a lot of ramifications. And if Android 3.x turns out solid in real world use then all bets are off in Apple maintaining their market dominance in this area.

david_e · 02-02-2011, 08:54 PM

Did Apple ever say customers would be able to read books from other providers on an iPad?

BuddyBoy · 02-02-2011, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snipenekkid

nothing about that precludes Amazon from adding a iTunes Store fee to every item on their site along with a note indicating the the reason for the added fee.

I don't know if the rules differ for Amazon, but the Kobo folks said that under the agency model, they aren't allowed to alter the selling price which is set by the publisher, even to raise the price.

dallas · 02-02-2011, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by david_e

Did Apple ever say customers would be able to read books from other providers on an iPad?

This could (will?) become a slippery slope. Apple offers a lot of content through iTunes so it could potentially try to block off any media or service that doesn't pay a toll or tax to play on the platform. The "magical" device that is supposed to revolutionize the way world morphs into the large format hardware portion of Apple's content sales and distribution system.

Now that we're hooked, the charges start...that's dealer 101. The price and abuse just go up from here.

CleverClothe · 02-02-2011, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rdfry

It is Adobe and Sony's fault. Adobe was supposed to update ADE last year to work with the B&N DRM but they haven't.

No need for ADE to be updated because the B&N DRM does not require authorization. Also, the SDK was updated 15 months ago. Sony even stated that they could update the SDK but chose not to. Please stop spreading falsehoods.

RockdaMan · 02-02-2011, 11:40 PM

That ADE drm fragmentation thing again?

BuddyBoy · 02-03-2011, 01:30 AM

... And it continues. Apple sets March 31st as der tag:

"Apple Announces Date On Which It Will Start Screwing Publishers"

http://www.businessinsider.com/apple...lishers-2011-2

Edited to add the WSJ Link. Looks like I can kiss Zinio goodbye. Not that it's such a bargain anymore since the iPad came out. I used to get annual digital subscriptions for $7.

Apple to Tighten Control of How Magazines, Content Are Sold for iPad - WSJ.com

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...NewsCollection

Sweetpea · 02-03-2011, 01:36 AM

Old news...

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=116637

I was already expecting something like this Sony story after I read about the newspaper story.

BuddyBoy · 02-03-2011, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Old news...

Really? But they just announced the deadline date today didn't they?? Or did you mean the newspaper/magazine restriction itself, announced a couple of weeks back?

Sweetpea · 02-03-2011, 02:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuddyBoy

Really? But they just announced the deadline date today didn't they?? Or did you mean the newspaper/magazine restriction itself, announced a couple of weeks back?

Even the deadline was already mentioned...

BuddyBoy · 02-03-2011, 02:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Even the deadline was already mentioned...

Well put me in overshoes and call me a duck!

I must have missed it. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

murraypaul · 02-03-2011, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuddyBoy

I don't know if the rules differ for Amazon, but the Kobo folks said that under the agency model, they aren't allowed to alter the selling price which is set by the publisher, even to raise the price.

Lets not get too far ahead of ourselves.
One person from Kobo, who seems to be a developer, not involved in sales or marketing, said that in a blog comment, not an official statement. He may or may not be right.

Darkitow · 02-03-2011, 06:31 AM

Never liked Apple stuff and everytime something new comes out from them I like it less and less.

At first I though it was some sort of computer elitism where you had to empty your pockets just for looking k00l (because looking cool is, of course, the primary function of a computer /sarcasm. I still had some "secret" desire of acquiring a Mac computer after graduating from my career (Fine Arts, as graphic designer) and I always envied my mom who has an iPhone and she doesn't even know how to play Angry Birds.

But now I just can't stand it. Everytime I see somebody popping out an iPhone (sorry, it's not personal) I just feel like this:

athlonkmf · 02-03-2011, 09:02 AM

Why is everybody so pessimistic? This could very well be a good thing.

Maybe Apple can make the same move as they did with music. Force DRM-free content. DRM, something we hate more than anything.

02-02-2011, 07:38 PM	#122
snipenekkid Banned Posts: 760 Karma: 51034 Join Date: Feb 2009	carld: nothing about that precludes Amazon from adding a iTunes Store fee to every item on their site along with a note indicating the the reason for the added fee. Then if Apple responds by removing the Kindle for iOS app it could have serious repercussions in the iOS developer community's confidence in developing for the platoform. Also I see it as ending the low cost apps moving to at least $6/app as the entry price. Also what about free apps which are only buggered with ads? No matter what the 30% fee will eventually be the end of a lot of content for the whole iOS family of devices. Funny there is not the same situation for Mac PC's though. This could indeed get very ugly before it gets better. And in this case I think Amazon responding by adding a fee equal to the Apple fee while telling buyers they can visit the Amazon site to purchase the same thing for less would be very justifiable compared to the banishment of whatever publisher at the beginning of the whole Agency mess. All I can say is if this blocks my ability to add my own content to the device then the whole iOS platform is dead to me, and more importantly, it would likely end any interest by the corporate world. That is why I really can't believe Apple intended to imply that any content purchased outside the app will not be allowed. It's also quite ironic that after the whole "...people don't read anymore" quip by Jobs that Apple would take such a strong position on ebooks. Then again perhaps as someone previously mentioned it's more about customer data than selling of content. Of course Apple could be trying to stem any of these apps from cutting into Apple's cash cow which is video and audio content. There is no reason the content purchased via any of the bookseller sites must only be books. It could easily be audio or video. Like I mentioned earlier this is going to be really complicate with a lot of ramifications. And if Android 3.x turns out solid in real world use then all bets are off in Apple maintaining their market dominance in this area. Last edited by snipenekkid; 02-02-2011 at 07:40 PM.

02-03-2011, 01:30 AM	#128
BuddyBoy eBookin' Fool Posts: 310 Karma: 1008360 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Vancouver, BC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, KK, iPad (Ex Prs 505, 500, Reb1100-2150, Rocket)	... And it continues. Apple sets March 31st as der tag: "Apple Announces Date On Which It Will Start Screwing Publishers" http://www.businessinsider.com/apple...lishers-2011-2 Edited to add the WSJ Link. Looks like I can kiss Zinio goodbye. Not that it's such a bargain anymore since the iPad came out. I used to get annual digital subscriptions for $7. Apple to Tighten Control of How Magazines, Content Are Sold for iPad - WSJ.com http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...NewsCollection Last edited by BuddyBoy; 02-03-2011 at 01:38 AM. Reason: Add WSJ story

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02-02-2011, 08:54 PM	#123
david_e Seriously? Posts: 529 Karma: 3347562 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kobo Mini, iWhatever	Did Apple ever say customers would be able to read books from other providers on an iPad?

02-02-2011, 11:40 PM	#127
RockdaMan Banned Posts: 1,644 Karma: 213512 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: On the other side of over there Device: Pandigital Novel, Kindle G1 (broken), iPod Touch	That ADE drm fragmentation thing again?

02-03-2011, 01:36 AM	#129
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	Old news... https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=116637 I was already expecting something like this Sony story after I read about the newspaper story.

02-03-2011, 06:31 AM	#134
Darkitow Enthusiast Posts: 43 Karma: 230 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Kindle 3	Never liked Apple stuff and everytime something new comes out from them I like it less and less. At first I though it was some sort of computer elitism where you had to empty your pockets just for looking k00l (because looking cool is, of course, the primary function of a computer /sarcasm. I still had some "secret" desire of acquiring a Mac computer after graduating from my career (Fine Arts, as graphic designer) and I always envied my mom who has an iPhone and she doesn't even know how to play Angry Birds. But now I just can't stand it. Everytime I see somebody popping out an iPhone (sorry, it's not personal) I just feel like this:

02-03-2011, 09:02 AM	#135
athlonkmf Guru Posts: 714 Karma: 1014039 Join Date: May 2007 Device: Sony PRS-500, Sony PRS-505, Kindle 3, Sony PRS350, iPad 64GB	Why is everybody so pessimistic? This could very well be a good thing. Maybe Apple can make the same move as they did with music. Force DRM-free content. DRM, something we hate more than anything.

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