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

More on Apple's 30% cut of Kindle book sales, etc.

computerworld.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 36 posts

Re: More on Apple's 30% cut of Kindle book sales, etc.

#21

Post by Terretta »

ezy wrote: post #14
barista wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They made the platform. You need to realize that if the platform didn't exist, there wouldn't be all these mobile apps in the first place.

Why do people argue this point? It's not insane because people have to do what Apple wants, no one except for a few entitled folks are arguing this. They can do what they please. It's insane because Apple have been suckered by their own advertising. Yes, the iPad is one of a kind at the moment, but the android tablet is right around the corner. And that android tablet will be running Kindle and Nook apps. While the p…

> * An iPad without Kindle is slightly worse than a shtty microsoft win7 tablet IMO.

Assuming, of course, that the only thing people do with their iPads is read.

(Personally, I can't make myself read for very long on an iPad anyway. I do fine on Kindle DX and Sony Reader. I would do best on a folding two screen eInk device the size of the tall Sony Reader, that opened to reveal two facing pages.)

Re: More on Apple's 30% cut of Kindle book sales, etc.

#23

Post by [deleted] »

ryandvm wrote: post #17
randrews wrote: post #5

Well, this invalidates what I thought Amazon should do: remove all purchasing of books from the Kindle app and make it only able to download and read books bought from the website (which it would not link to). Apple's now saying, if you sell something somewhere else that can be shown in an iOS app, you need to also sell it through Apple for the same price. I guess when Amazon pulls the iOS app, I can break the DRM on…

> I guess when Amazon pulls the iOS app, I can break the DRM on the books I buy from them and read them on Stanza. Nobody can blame Amazon from pulling the iOS app. I'd be shocked if they don't. Apple is literally requesting all of Amazon's margins. I guess you can do whatever your ethics permit, but my takeaway is that perhaps you shouldn't be buying devices from such tyrannical manufacturers. The Honeycomb tablets…

[deleted]

Re: More on Apple's 30% cut of Kindle book sales, etc.

#26

Post by ghshephard »

mrcharles wrote: post #8

Anyone want to place bets on when Amazon pulls the iOS app? Seems the only possible retaliation at the moment. This is absurdly anti-competitive.

Actually, I'd argue it's absurdly competitive. How would you maximize the value of your 160 million IOS Device platform?

Don't get me wrong - this pisses me off, as approximately 50-75% of my usage of the iPad is reading content like the WSJ, NYT, and, especially, my Kindle Books.

For the very first time, today, I'm actually considering purchasing an Android Tablet for my 2011 Tablet Upgrade - a thought that would have never, ever, entered my mind prior to this behavior of Apples.

With that said - I understand what they are trying to do - but, I think they are being short sighted. This action is going to diminish the value of the platform, and start driving people like me over to Android, where we're pretty certain we'll find a more friendly home.

Oh well - I've loved my iPad for the last year like no other purchase - I've bought a little over $1500 worth of content (TV Shows, Apps, Books) according to my iTunes Bill, and, I expect I'll be able to read and download books with my existing Kindle App for the forseeable future - but, I'm guessing new versions of the iPad will have an IOS that is incompatible with the existing Kindle App in some way, and I'll eventually have to migrate off platform.

Here's hoping Apple comes to their senses and manages to walk this idiotic decision back.

Re: More on Apple's 30% cut of Kindle book sales, etc.

#27

Post by ezy »

I have to say that this article is horribly unclear.

It says that if you link to selling digital add-ons outside of the app, you have to sell them in the app. Then it goes on to say that one could "side-step" the requirement by not having a "buy" link at all in the app, but still selling the add-ons elsewhere. Fair enough... But then it says Apple still requires you to have a buy link in the app if you sell any add-ons/subscriptions externally whether the app has a link to them or not.

So, which is it?

Re: More on Apple's 30% cut of Kindle book sales, etc.

#28

Post by ezy »

Terretta wrote: post #21
ezy wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do people argue this point? It's not insane because people have to do what Apple wants, no one except for a few entitled folks are arguing this. They can do what they please. It's insane because Apple have been suckered by their own advertising. Yes, the iPad is one of a kind at the moment, but the android tablet is right around the corner. And that android tablet will be running Kindle and Nook apps. While the p…

> * An iPad without Kindle is slightly worse than a sh tty microsoft win7 tablet IMO. Assuming, of course, that the only thing people do with their iPads is read. (Personally, I can't make myself read for very long on an iPad anyway. I do fine on Kindle DX and Sony Reader. I would do best on a folding two screen eInk device the size of the tall Sony Reader, that opened to reveal two facing pages.)

It's not the only thing, but I'd argue it's a common use. I mean part of the selling point for the iPad was using the internet, which is essentially reading most of the time.

Re: More on Apple's 30% cut of Kindle book sales, etc.

#29

Post by barista »

mrcharles wrote: post #9
barista wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They made the platform. You need to realize that if the platform didn't exist, there wouldn't be all these mobile apps in the first place.

And you should realize that things like the Kindle app provide added value to the iOS devices that otherwise wouldn't exist. It's a two way street, and it is not just magical handwaving that lets Apple's actions become justified.

ha! If that were the case then AMZN would take their business somewhere else. Make the app only for android and WP7. Would they do it? Of course they won't. It's a massive platform that nobody can ignore and if you want to make some money on it better pay the piper.

Re: More on Apple's 30% cut of Kindle book sales, etc.

#30

Post by barista »

mrcharles wrote: post #10
barista wrote: post #4

Their greed is a good thing for the AAPL stockholders though :)

Until their greed chases potential app developers away from the platform and in to the waiting hands of competing devices.

ain't gonna happen. AAPL is the biggest and best platform out there when it comes to mobile devices. I don't see anything wrong in they trying to make money out of it.
Post reply on HN