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Apple sets deadline for Amazon's Kindle app to change - They want 30% per book

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Re: Apple sets deadline for Amazon's Kindle app to change - They want 30% per book

#13

Post by bryanlarsen »

zdw wrote: post #8
martincmartin wrote: post #5

How will this work for O'Reilly books I purchase in pdf format? How can Apple stop me from reading it without blocking all non-DRMed pdfs?

They likely won't. There are also plenty of PDF readers in the store already (Goodreader, for example) that are independent of Apple's iBooks. Unlike Sony, Apple isn't generally known for removing functionality from products after purchase...

But they are well known for pulling apps arbitrarily, so make sure you download and install as many book readers and other apps with similar type functionality now. For instance, I'm glad I installed the Safari Online reader when it came out. (Although in this case it was O'Reilly that pulled it due to whiny complaints that it wasn't a native app).

Re: Apple sets deadline for Amazon's Kindle app to change - They want 30% per book

#14

Post by jaaron »

First off, if you trace the article to its source, you'll end up on a WSJ article that says something slightly different:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405274870477560457612...

As far as we know, Apple has not directly set a deadline for Amazon. In fact, there's no knew information other than the date: meaning there's still a lot of questions about the subscription rates and the actual requirements Apple will have in place.

Personally, I can't see how a 30% fee for what amounts to little more than payment processing can stand. It's one thing to charge the fee for app distribution and marketing in the store. It's another to handle on billing at which even 10% would seem rather high.

I don't see this lasting. Either publishers will charge an extra fee on iPad users and/or Apple will be taken to court for anti-trust, probably in Europe first.

Re: Apple sets deadline for Amazon's Kindle app to change - They want 30% per book

#15

Post by some1else »

Who cares about Amazon, they've got volume. While this one precedence might instantly bump Apple's revenue, it means that indie developers that deal with licensed/purchased content without in-app transactions will also have no choice but comply and take into account Apples 1/3rd.

Re: Apple sets deadline for Amazon's Kindle app to change - They want 30% per book

#16

Post by zdw »

bryanlarsen wrote: post #10
zdw wrote: post #6

Thus why you should only buy ebooks where you get easily transferrable formats, like unencumbered PDF or ePub. I'm a big fan of O'Reilly's multi-format approach. This is the correct end-run around proprietary stores. Regarding this issue in particular, I don't see the problem with Amazon and others kicking their users out to Safari to do purchases, and thus as the purchase wouldn't happen "in app" it wouldn't be cove…

" I don't see the problem with Amazon and others kicking their users out to Safari to do purchases" At least as far as I can tell from this article and others, this is one of the things that Apple wants to disallow. At least there must also be an option to buy using the Apple system, giving Apple a 30% cut. And I highly doubt that Apple's going to allow an app that says "click here to buy through Apple, click here to…

That would be the core issue - I'm not sure Apple would even allow a "Buy Books" button that jumps to their website from within the Kindle app.

At most, maybe a "Visit Amazon Website" button that goes to the home page, then after Apple approves the app have their site detect iPad users linked from the app, jump them directly to the Kindle bookstore. That's the best end-run I could come up with.

Re: Apple sets deadline for Amazon's Kindle app to change - They want 30% per book

#18

Post by jaaron »

mooism2 wrote: post #12

This is clearly legal, as Apple don't have a monopoly. But also clearly not in my interest as a putative Apple customer. (Alas, I fear I am not in Apple's target market.)

Clearly legal, because you're a lawyer? Don't be too surprised if this lands Apple in court eventually. Leveraging their OS to disrupt competitors in other business markets is the exact sort of behavior that got Microsoft in trouble with Netscape.

Re: Apple sets deadline for Amazon's Kindle app to change - They want 30% per book

#19

Post by kmfrk »

So, what do HN recommend that Amazon do now? Or at least expect them to do.

    * Leave the app as-is. (With what specific motive?)
    * Jack up the prices. (Perhaps they'll include a notification when the user is on the relevant purchase page.)
    * Leave the prices as-is and take the 30% hit.
    * Let Apple kill the app.
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