Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

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

tecca.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–60 of 107 posts

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

#51

Post by Kylekramer »

nika wrote: post #45
DanielBMarkham wrote: post #26

Of course this is legal or Apple wouldn't be doing it. But it strikes me as an unnatural state of affairs. This idea that I can make a computational device, then own the right for you to put material on that device , is technically correct -- if you think of the iPad as some huge proprietary version of a CD player. But if you think of it an extension of your brain -- as a prosthesis which helps you share commonly und…

Apple doesn't "own the right to put material on that device", as apple provides many mechanisms to put material on the device outside of apple's control. Here's some of them: 1. iTunes file sync lets you put arbitrary files in there. I put many pdfs that I bought from pragmatic programmers in iBooks. Apple doesn't get a cut. iTunes also lets you sync any file type with any app that can read it (And apple lets free re…

Kindles allow arbitrary files and have a Webkit browser. I don't see how Amazon is worse than Apple here. Frankly, it is annoying for people to act like Apple is somehow doing people favors by allowing people to use the web and put their own files on their own device.

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

#52

Post by ylem »

It's not clear what this means: a) Amazon has to provide a way of purchasing content via the apple store (and presumably can do so at 30% markup). Meanwhile, books that you purchased to read on your computer, kindle, android phone, etc. is still available to you on your iDevice at no additional charge. b) Amazon is not allowed to transfer content that the user has already purchased. Users have to repurchase all content through the apple store and the only advantage of the kindle app is if you like the reading experience and syncing with your existing devices.

If it's (a), then ok. I wouldn't purchase through them, but some people might do so for the convenience (instead of starting safari and purchasing it that way). If it is (b), then as soon as there is a credible android tablet, then it's likely to be goodbye to the iPad for a number of book users. The advantage of Amazon is that while the content has DRMd for the end user, they can read it on a variety of devices. Also, the selection is excellent (not perfect, but for light reading, pretty good). I don't see Apple winning the content war on this one. I suppose Amazon could make a web-based kindle service (again, DRMd) that would could be logged in through one's amazon account and used through Safari. The experience wouldn't be as good, but it would still let people read content on an iDevice and screw Apple.

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

#54

Post by halo »

kmfrk wrote: post #19

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.

Replace the in-app purchasing functionality with a link to Amazon's site that does functionally the same thing with one extra step.

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

#55

Post by allwein »

nika wrote: post #47
jaaron wrote: post #14

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 wil…

I think Amazon could resolve this really easily by doing a cross marketing deal with Apple. But at least Apple is only taking %30. Amazon has completely excluded Apple from selling books via the iBookstore app on the kindle. In fact, you can't even read iBookstore books on the kindle because Amazon doesn't allow Apple to produce an app for the kindle.

There's nothing preventing Apple from signing up to be a Kindle developer and using the KDK to develop an iBooks app for the Kindle.

http://kdk.amazon.com/

I'd like you to point out any evidence that Amazon has excluded or rejected Apple's application, because I've never heard anything of the sort.

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

#56

Post by rsl7 »

jpravetz wrote: post #23
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…

In support of unencumbered formats, think about how Apple became dominant. iPod/iTunes initial success + music labels insistence on DRM, lead to lack of content portability, lead to device lock-in, lead to iPod dominance, lead to music labels loosing power. This is different from Kindle, where they write a player for every platform. But is what you get if you sell through Apple's store for Apple's reader. O'Reilly wi…

the iPod didn't become dominant due to device lock-in.

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

#57

Post by mds »

allwein wrote: post #55
nika wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think Amazon could resolve this really easily by doing a cross marketing deal with Apple. But at least Apple is only taking %30. Amazon has completely excluded Apple from selling books via the iBookstore app on the kindle. In fact, you can't even read iBookstore books on the kindle because Amazon doesn't allow Apple to produce an app for the kindle.

There's nothing preventing Apple from signing up to be a Kindle developer and using the KDK to develop an iBooks app for the Kindle. http://kdk.amazon.com/ I'd like you to point out any evidence that Amazon has excluded or rejected Apple's application, because I've never heard anything of the sort.

"active content must meet all Amazon technical requirements, not be a generic reader, and not contain malicious code"

Depends on how they define a "generic reader" doesn't it?

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

#58

Post by mikecane »

rsl7 wrote: post #56
jpravetz wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In support of unencumbered formats, think about how Apple became dominant. iPod/iTunes initial success + music labels insistence on DRM, lead to lack of content portability, lead to device lock-in, lead to iPod dominance, lead to music labels loosing power. This is different from Kindle, where they write a player for every platform. But is what you get if you sell through Apple's store for Apple's reader. O'Reilly wi…

the iPod didn't become dominant due to device lock-in.

That's correct. People could rip their CDs and also use MP3s they already had. The Kindle wouldn't even allow Amazon's own MobiPocket books that had Mobi DRM on them to be read! And, of course, neither the Kindle hardware nor software for platforms can read ePub.

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

#59

Post by xinsight »

I've used Apple's in-app purchase system and it has sone serious limitations. First, it's limited to about 3000 SKUs. Second, there is no way to automatically import (or update) the product information. So, from a technical perspective, Amazon simply cannot use IAP - it's far too limited.

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

#60

Post by Bud »

maigret wrote: post #44

The first thing that comes to my mind... This will be a huge sell argument for Android: "Buy Amazon books 25% cheaper than on Apple phones".

Oh, yes, because of course, cell providers whose phones run Android would never think of charging any kind of data tariff or making money in other ways.
Post reply on HN