Apple responds: we want a cut of Amazon, Sony e-book sales

It feels like another FTC investigation over App store policies could arise out of this.

So, I can purchase books thru Safari but not thru the Amazon Kindle App? How does this make sense?

Seems like a workaround might be to link to the Amazon mobile site from the Kindle App. But maybe that is too close to "selling" content thru the Kindle App.

This opens up a huge can of worms and will push any company who has a subscription service out of the App Store. How does this work with freemium, for instance? And what if the app is not from the company but from a third-party that uses an API?

We looked at using In App purchase for a large collection of add-ons. Even if Amazon, Sony and B&N wanted to offer in app purchase as well as through their stores, Apple's system is a pain in the neck to do that. Their support structure just isn't designed for a large array of product options.

This doesn't seem ridiculous to me as a user. I read this as saying is that if an app plays content I can purchase elsewhere, then Apple wants to be able to also sell the content in the app.

If I have it correct, I as a developer can make a maze application and sell mazes on my own web site, but I must also give users the option of buying them in the app and fork over 30% to Apple. If I do this, it's up to me to convince users that the experience of buying mazes on my web site is superior to the experience of buying them right in the app.

As long as Apple doesn't prohibit applications from "playing" content purchased elsewhere, as a user I have no problem with this, because it gives me another choice for purchasing new content that offers a smooth and easy purchasing experience.

Amazon, et. al. probably hate the idea, but that comes down to two lords arguing over which one gets to exploit the serfs.

It's not just you, but it is far more reminiscent of being every bit as greedy as console manufacturers demanding licensing fees from cartridge manufacturers (or whatever we call sharecroppers).

Remember that if a developer makes an app and sells it for money, Apple gets 30% of their revenue, period, full stop. That's the App Store deal, if you don't like it, you don't develop an iOS app.

So what happens when a developer builds an app that does almost nothing. He givs it away for free. But to use the app, you go to the developer's site, pay money, and download a level or something, like my maze app example above. Presto! The developer has just done an end run around the App Store, and Apple doesn't like that.