NYT: Apple Moves to Tighten Control of App Store

[Maggie Leung]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/01/te...apple.html?hpw

[Maggie Leung]

If anyone else is interested in offering Apple feedback:

http://www.apple.com/support/feedback/


-----

This is what I just wrote them:

If this story is accurate, I will no longer buy Apple products for myself or as gifts.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/01/te...apple.html?hpw

I hope it's not accurate, because I've really liked my iDevices. I've spent thousands of dollars on iPods, iPhones and iPads, but Apple will not get a penny more from me without continuing the ability to buy books outside of the Apple ecosystem. I'd appreciate it you'd let decision-makers at Apple know this. Thanks for your help.

[petermillard]

Thanks for posting this - just left feedback myself.

[athlonkmf]

I tend to lean towards this opinion;
http://techcrunch.com/2011/02/01/i-q...ting-the-ipad/
http://appadvice.com/appnn/2011/02/a...app-purchases/

We're readers, so we should be able to interpret plays with words

http://ebookstore.sony.com/rme/

We would like to update everyone on the status of our Reader™ for iPhone® mobile application. We created an app that we’re very excited about, which includes all the features you’ve come to expect from a mobile reading application – including access to your existing collection, synching with your Reader Daily Edition™ and purchasing new content as is possible on other mobile platforms.

Unfortunately, with little notice, Apple changed the way it enforces its rules and this will prevent the current version of the Reader™ for iPhone® from being available in the app store. We opened a dialog with Apple to see if we can come up with an equitable resolution but reached an impasse at this time. We’re exploring other avenues to bring the Reader experience to Apple mobile devices. We know that many of you are eagerly awaiting the application and we appreciate your continued patience.

No where in that statement was mentioned that their app got denied due to purchasing of stuff. It's certainly insinuating though. As everyone picked up the "reasoning".

[HappyMartin]

I also wrote to Apple and asked for clarity on there policy. Lets see what they say. Below is what I wrote if anyone is interested.

"It is with much disappointment that I read the article in the NYT regarding the blocking of Sony reader app on the app store and the possible removal of the Kindle app. I am a long time user of Amazons e books, consequently I have a sizable investment in e books with Amazon.

Now that the Ipad is available in South Africa I intended purchasing one to be able to read certain books on that device rather than on my Kindle. If the Ipad wont support the Kindle app it will be a deal breaker for me. Consequently I would greatly appreciate some clarity on this question."

[Alex Bowden]

Strange how manipulatable people are.

Apple and Sony each make hand held computing devices.

Each provide eReader software and each operate eBook stores.

So, do Sony facilitate and allow Apple's eReader software to run on the Sony machine and to buy books directly on that machine?

Open is good for all. But in a commercial situation, reciprocity it required.

Apple would be mad to allow competing electronics manufacturers to expect to operate their stores on Apple devices if they, in turn, do not reciprocate.

Strange how none of the reporting points this out, but then there wouldn't be a story.

[HappyMartin]

I am not suggesting for a moment that Apple have to do anything. If they wish to close there system to the extent suggested they can. It does of course impact on my decision on what tablet to buy and I am pleased that the NYT has covered this for that reason.

As it is within Apple's rights to close their system it is within my rights to let them know that this would stop me from buying an IPad. They can choose to react to me or not but I do also have a right to know what the device that I am purchasing can and cannot do. If I had already purchased an IPad and one of the reasons I made the purchase was to be able to access my Kindle library and Apple then shut Kindle out do you not think I would have cause to complain?

[BuddyBoy]

I just hope this is Sony putting their own spin on why they think their app was rejected. I can't personally think of any app that allows you any form of in-app purchase that doesn't go through the app store, so this would, to me, seem to be a deal-breaker for Apple.

I can't imagine Apple banning all externally purchased content from the iOS system. They would have to cut off Amazon, Zinio, Kobo, and more. Heck, Kobo and Zinio let your purchase content - by popping open a Safari window.

Sony just needs to get off it's butt and create a web based bookstore. God knows, I hated using the Sony Library Software to buy books.

On the other hand, if Apple really plans to cut off all external paid content, then they're dead to me. I don't stick with a platform to have my access winnowed down over time. Nuh-uh.

[Crowl]

Originally Posted by Alex Bowden

Open is good for all. But in a commercial situation, reciprocity it required.

Apple would be mad to allow competing electronics manufacturers to expect to operate their stores on Apple devices if they, in turn, do not reciprocate.

This idea of reciprocity overlooks some fairly crucial points, most of the sony ereaders do not include any store on them with all sales being done away from the device.

Apple could have made their store available to all epub-capable devices in the first place, but firstly chose to ignore the option of supporting the
most common drm option and in any case do not actually offer their books on a non-ios let alone other mobile hardware.

Apple actually gets a benefit from allowing other reader apps on their device because it means that people are able to buy and move to apple hardware without abandoning purchases made from other stores, but have no such option with any ibooks leading to them tending to be locked into the apple products so apple probably don't actually want to be available on other hardware.

[kikar]

Originally Posted by Alex Bowden

Strange how manipulatable people are.

Apple and Sony each make hand held computing devices.

Each provide eReader software and each operate eBook stores.

So, do Sony facilitate and allow Apple's eReader software to run on the Sony machine and to buy books directly on that machine?

Open is good for all. But in a commercial situation, reciprocity it required.

Apple would be mad to allow competing electronics manufacturers to expect to operate their stores on Apple devices if they, in turn, do not reciprocate.

Strange how none of the reporting points this out, but then there wouldn't be a story.

Apple makes a hand held computing device, Sony makes an ereader. My iPad did not come preloaded with the iBooks app I had to download it which tells me it is not, first and foremost, an ereader. My Sony ereader did not come with any bookstore I had to download the software and purchase much like iTunes.

To me this is the same as Microsoft, in order to promote their Zune software deciding that unless they got a piece of the iTunes action then the ITunes software would not be allowed on any PCs. As far as I know the purchasing of kindle books and nookbooks are all done via the web out of app and the pushing of books from those companies to the iDevice is also web based. They are not using Apple's bandwidth in the process.

Apple used to be a hardware company and if they want to lock out competitors in order to promote iBooks then so be it. I will gladly by an android tablet. My main reason for purchasing an iPad was to have all of my books on one device. I have over 1200 kindle, Sony and nook books that I have bought over the last few years and I wanted the option of having them with me on one device when I was on the road. If Apple pulls this stunt then the iPad is just a word processor and email machine to me and I can get that from a google tablet.

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by Maggie Leung

This is what I just wrote them:

If this story is accurate, I will no longer buy Apple products for myself or as gifts.

Makes me happier that I have never bought an Apple product. I used to think about buying a Mac until I started investigating its components and discovered that Apple wanted a premium price for mediocre components and that I could do much better custom building a PC.

I know that there are other companies as arrogant as Apple, but fortunately not so many that I can't just avoid dealing with them.

[The Hooded Claw]

I used the link provided by Maggie to write and indicate I hoped that the implication given in the article wasn't true. I wish I'd thought to copy before sending, but in short I said that I owned an iPad and a Touch, as well as a Kindle, and one of the features I valued about Apple products was not being restricted to one store as I was on Amazon. I pointed out that I bought a fair amount of apps and video content from iTunes (and gave 'em my email and the name of a $10 iPad app that I bought less than 12 hours ago). I indicated that I would probably go to an Android tablet for my next tablet if this alleged restrictive policy continued, and indicated that I was going to stop buying paid apps and content till this was clarified (and I will--I now am regretful about buying the Art Authority app last night!).

[queentess]

Originally Posted by rhadin

Makes me happier that I have never bought an Apple product. I used to think about buying a Mac until I started investigating its components and discovered that Apple wanted a premium price for mediocre components and that I could do much better custom building a PC.

Apple doesn't sell devices, it sells a lifestyle image. You have to be this cool to own an Apple device.

Interesting change if it's true. I wondered how the iBookstore was going to compete with Amazon's Kindle app, and now Sony. I won an iTouch a few months ago, and I was shocked to find that the Skype app didn't allow video... guess Apple didn't want anything to compete with it's awful FaceTime app that requires an iDevice.

[elcreative]

I've just read the article... the funniest part is where Steve Harber says Sony's committed to cross-platform access... pretty good from the company that invented lrf originally as well as atrac... funny how all the Apple haters ignored this part of the article... evil Apple strikes again. Why don't we get more info before going off half-cocked on the basis of one article... and I mean genuinely more info rather than another half dozen appearances of the same article in different forms that all turn out to reference the original article.

[MrsJoseph]

Originally Posted by elcreative

I've just read the article... the funniest part is where Steve Harber says Sony's committed to cross-platform access... pretty good from the company that invented lrf originally as well as atrac... funny how all the Apple haters ignored this part of the article... evil Apple strikes again. Why don't we get more info before going off half-cocked on the basis of one article... and I mean genuinely more info rather than another half dozen appearances of the same article in different forms that all turn out to reference the original article.

I went into a Sony store a while ago to learn about their blue tooth headphones. I thought they would be great to go with my iPhone/iPod. I was told by the Sony salesman that the headphones wouldn't work because "we deliberately make our products to be incompatible with Apple."