DRM: ‘Why are publishers making the same mistake that the record companies made with Apple?’
Strange, isn’t it? Publishers don’t want Amazon to boss ‘em around on such issues as price—and yet they’re letting Amazon use DRM to lock in customers.
This is hardly news to TeleRead readers. But it’s good to see Techdirt, itself no stranger to this issue, note the paradox.
Related: Techmeme roundup here. Angry Slashdot post here. Thanks to Joseph Gray and Jon Noring.
February 28th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
These articles and the Slashdot comments always make me think of that great xkcd comic. I get the feeling there is a small but highly vocal minority that will fight DRM tooth and nail. But then there is the bulk of consumers that just don’t care. Amazon and the publishers are targeting the latter group. I think the publishers rightly predict that people won’t feel locked into Amazon just because they’ve bought books from them in the past. I bought many Sony eBooks but that didn’t stop me getting an iRex which can’t read LRXs. I think most consumers buy a book, read it once then forget about it. If this is true (and I’ll try and find some data sometime) then DRM is really not an issue.
By the way, why do you think people worry about customers getting locked into Amazon but not Sony. Just because the Kindle is selling better?
February 28th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Robbie: The difference lies in ePub — Sony 505 and 700 can read ePub, which is rapidly becoming the publishing industry standard format, natively and the Kindle can’t. The Kindle can only read DRMed ebooks bought from Amazon; Sony Readers can, because of ePub, read DRMed ebooks bought from retailers other than Sony.