Kobo / Apple purchasing changes

[PeterT]

From the Kobo Blog http://blog.kobobooks.com/iosstore/

Changes from Apple affects Kobo’s iPhone/iPad App
BY KGEIER ON JULY 23, 2011
Earlier today Apple has instituted new rules that affect your experience on iPhone and iPad apps. The biggest change is the removal of the ability to shop witin our app.

Here’s what this means for Kobo users:

• Your books are safe! You can continue to use the Kobo app to read them, explore Reading Life, and enjoy all the other fun and engaging reading features from Kobo you’re familiar with.
• With this change, iOS users wishing to access their Kobo account, browse the Kobo Store and purchase books will now need to go to kobo.​com
• You can still browse Kobo’s selection of 2.4 million eBooks, shop and access your account! Go to Kobo.​com by directly opening and using their Safari browser or using your favourite web browser on your phone. Be sure to bookmark the store for future visits!

We value the opinion of our customers! Share your feedback here on the latest change.

Or with Apple at http://​www.​apple.​com/​contact/​feedback.​html.​

This change does not affect Kobo’s other eReading apps for Android, RIM, WebOS and PC devices, all of which retain the integrated eReading and in-app Kobo Store access.

Kobo continues to deliver the best reading experience on the iPad and iPhone. Look for new and exciting features in upcoming releases.

[MrsJoseph]

Wow. Bad Apple! That really ticks me off, I own an iPhone.

[CleverClothe]

This is somewhat old news, in that we knew this was coming.

[HarryT]

Yes, this was announced months ago.

[fbrII]

As a reading device by far the best feature of the iPad without a doubt was the ability to buy from whomever you wanted to buy from, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Goggle ...etc, etc.

Now that Apple has decided to make it difficult to buy from anybody but Apple, they have rendered the iPad into a piece of junk, at least for me.

Well I anticipated the move having read various posts on Mobilread and bought a Kobo Touch several weeks ago. So now I am once again happy, the iPad goes into the drawer and I have quit being an Apple customer.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by fbrII

As a reading device by far the best feature of the iPad without a doubt was the ability to buy from whomever you wanted to buy from, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Goggle ...etc, etc.

Now that Apple has decided to make it difficult to buy from anybody but Apple, they have rendered the iPad into a piece of junk, at least for me.

No it hasn't. You can still buy books on the iPad using the web browser; you just can't buy them from within the reading app. It's no big deal.

[fbrII]

No it hasn't. You can still buy books on the iPad using the web browser; you just can't buy them from within the reading app. It's no big deal.

I am sure you are correct as I am sure it would not be that difficult to take a few extra steps every time I want to purchase a book. However, the policy does not benefit the user in any way, rather it makes it more difficult for the user to use the product. But, in any case it is not a problem for me, I don't need to buy any more products from Apple and I won't.

[HarryT]

It's your choice, of course. Personally, though, I think that saying that the fact that you now buy books through Safari rather than the Kobo app has "rendered the iPad into a piece of junk" is a slight over-reaction. Have you actually tried it?

[elcreative]

Originally Posted by fbrII

I am sure you are correct as I am sure it would not be that difficult to take a few extra steps every time I want to purchase a book. However, the policy does not benefit the user in any way, rather it makes it more difficult for the user to use the product. But, in any case it is not a problem for me, I don't need to buy any more products from Apple and I won't.

Hey, to save you cluttering a drawer up, I'll give you a tenner for your iPad as it's obviously such a piece of junk but I wouldn't mind playing with it for a few pounds/dollars - I'll even pay the shipping...

[fbrII]

Hey, to save you cluttering a drawer up, I'll give you a tenner for your iPad as it's obviously such a piece of junk but I wouldn't mind playing with it for a few pounds/dollars - I'll even pay the shipping...

How about I just swap you for your Android and a 650?

[elcreative]

Originally Posted by fbrII

How about I just swap you for your Android and a 650?

Now you're trying to tempt me... My Galaxy II S does everything and more that the tablet does and I can easily get another 650 so...

[fbrII]

Now you're trying to tempt me... My Galaxy II S does everything and more that the tablet does and I can easily get another 650 so...

Right, I'll even bet your Android will allow you to buy from whom you want without having go through your browser

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by fbrII

Right, I'll even bet your Android will allow you to buy from whom you want without having go through your browser

That's a flaw Google should remedy. Don't they realize that people love to jump through extra hoops to buy books?

You know, everyone should follow Apple's lead. Imagine paying a surcharge for all purchases made to the owners of your ISP, your OS, and your web browser.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by CleverClothe

This is somewhat old news, in that we knew this was coming.

But we didn't know how Kobo would react. Now we do.

[fbrII]

Personally, though, I think that saying that the fact that you now buy books through Safari rather than the Kobo app has "rendered the iPad into a piece of junk" is a slight over-reaction. Have you actually tried it?

Actually I have not tried it but neither is it a temptation.

My viewpoint is, I bought a product with certain expectations. Apple has now changed those expectations. Apple made a choice to make their product less user friendly for their customers in order to increase what I would assume are already healthy profit margins.

They have a right to do so, just like they have a right to force you to sign new terms and conditions every other month, although you bought their product based on the terms and conditions in effect at the time of your purchase.

While they have the right to do these things they also have to accept the subsequent risk that some of their customers will get tired of their policies and say enough is enough.

In my case they lost a customer. I an very sure they can afford to lose me as a customer, but then I can also say with equal assurance I can live life without Apple products and at this point, quite happy to do so.