Comments on: Will Apple throw the book at e-book apps? http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/17/will-apple-throw-the-book-at-e-book-apps/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:01:59 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Mike Cane http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/17/will-apple-throw-the-book-at-e-book-apps/comment-page-1/#comment-1023113 Mike Cane Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:19:24 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/17/will-apple-throw-the-book-at-e-book-apps/#comment-1023113 @Chris: Trust me, mj would *know* about Murderdrome. And I must back him up on this. @Aaron: OK, now I understand what you meant, and I agree. @Chris: Trust me, mj would *know* about Murderdrome. And I must back him up on this.

@Aaron: OK, now I understand what you meant, and I agree.

]]> By: pond http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/17/will-apple-throw-the-book-at-e-book-apps/comment-page-1/#comment-1023103 pond Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:01:18 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/17/will-apple-throw-the-book-at-e-book-apps/#comment-1023103 This sounds great for a revival of comics in the US. If the 10" iPodHD tablet comes along as rumored (or is it to be a netbook?) then DC and Marvel and indies could give us full-color digital comics subscriptions through this. Another winner would be series books - mysteries, fantasies and the like. Subscribe to the series and get the book at midnight of publication date. It also opens the door to newspaper and magazine subscriptions on the iPhone OS platform. Wouldn't it be ironic if after music labels turned to Amazon to combat Apple's predominance in the digital music industry, publishers turned to Apple to combat Amazon's predominance in the digital books/periodicals industry? This sounds great for a revival of comics in the US. If the 10″ iPodHD tablet comes along as rumored (or is it to be a netbook?) then DC and Marvel and indies could give us full-color digital comics subscriptions through this.

Another winner would be series books – mysteries, fantasies and the like. Subscribe to the series and get the book at midnight of publication date.

It also opens the door to newspaper and magazine subscriptions on the iPhone OS platform.

Wouldn’t it be ironic if after music labels turned to Amazon to combat Apple’s predominance in the digital music industry, publishers turned to Apple to combat Amazon’s predominance in the digital books/periodicals industry?

]]> By: Chris Meadows http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/17/will-apple-throw-the-book-at-e-book-apps/comment-page-1/#comment-1023090 Chris Meadows Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:05:44 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/17/will-apple-throw-the-book-at-e-book-apps/#comment-1023090 I <i>know</I> I saw it in some of the articles about the thing at the time. I suppose it's possible it might have been someone else. I know I saw it in some of the articles about the thing at the time. I suppose it’s possible it might have been someone else.

]]> By: mj http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/17/will-apple-throw-the-book-at-e-book-apps/comment-page-1/#comment-1023041 mj Wed, 18 Mar 2009 09:23:17 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/17/will-apple-throw-the-book-at-e-book-apps/#comment-1023041 "This is why the “Murderdrome” comic app-book was rejected, giving rise to cries of “censorship.” (Although I seem to recall that at the time, Apple had actually suggested they sell just the comic book app and offer the content separately.)" You just made that up. Apple suggested no such thing. “This is why the “Murderdrome” comic app-book was rejected, giving rise to cries of “censorship.” (Although I seem to recall that at the time, Apple had actually suggested they sell just the comic book app and offer the content separately.)”

You just made that up. Apple suggested no such thing.

]]> By: Chris Meadows http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/17/will-apple-throw-the-book-at-e-book-apps/comment-page-1/#comment-1022946 Chris Meadows Wed, 18 Mar 2009 01:13:34 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/17/will-apple-throw-the-book-at-e-book-apps/#comment-1022946 Actually, I think the Kindle app does allow direct purchases, in a round-about way. I've been told there is a "purchase this book" link at the end of the sample chapter you can view within the app. Actually, I think the Kindle app does allow direct purchases, in a round-about way. I’ve been told there is a “purchase this book” link at the end of the sample chapter you can view within the app.

]]> By: Aaron Pressman http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/17/will-apple-throw-the-book-at-e-book-apps/comment-page-1/#comment-1022933 Aaron Pressman Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:10:36 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/17/will-apple-throw-the-book-at-e-book-apps/#comment-1022933 Mike - don't misunderstand me - I'm not taking a side or complaining about the particular revenue split. I'm saying that if Apple wants 30% of the revenue from an ebook sale and the publisher of a mainstream, best-seller book is already getting more than 70% of the revenue from Amazon (in some cases more than 100% of Amazon's revenue, supposedly), there isn't going to be 30% for Apple to take. The Amazon split you refer to is for self-published ebooks, what you or I would get if we uploaded a book to the kindle store. That's not what the major publishing houses get on books by Stephen King or Danielle Steel. The Kindle iPhone app does not currently allow direct purchases but i think a lot of people were expecting or hoping that it would be updated to do that soon. Mike – don’t misunderstand me – I’m not taking a side or complaining about the particular revenue split. I’m saying that if Apple wants 30% of the revenue from an ebook sale and the publisher of a mainstream, best-seller book is already getting more than 70% of the revenue from Amazon (in some cases more than 100% of Amazon’s revenue, supposedly), there isn’t going to be 30% for Apple to take.

The Amazon split you refer to is for self-published ebooks, what you or I would get if we uploaded a book to the kindle store. That’s not what the major publishing houses get on books by Stephen King or Danielle Steel.

The Kindle iPhone app does not currently allow direct purchases but i think a lot of people were expecting or hoping that it would be updated to do that soon.

]]> By: Mike Cane http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/17/will-apple-throw-the-book-at-e-book-apps/comment-page-1/#comment-1022920 Mike Cane Tue, 17 Mar 2009 23:45:13 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/17/will-apple-throw-the-book-at-e-book-apps/#comment-1022920 @Aaron The 70/30 split is still superior to Amazon. Apple gives devs the *70*. Amazon TAKES 65%. @Aaron The 70/30 split is still superior to Amazon. Apple gives devs the *70*. Amazon TAKES 65%.

]]> By: Mike Cane http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/17/will-apple-throw-the-book-at-e-book-apps/comment-page-1/#comment-1022913 Mike Cane Tue, 17 Mar 2009 23:40:19 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/17/will-apple-throw-the-book-at-e-book-apps/#comment-1022913 Interesting take, but from what I understood, a trip to Safari is actually needed in order to fully browse and buy from Amazon's K Store. Or am I mistaken? At any rate, could these free apps get away with a nominal 99-cent price? Or join with a publisher so that the app is, say, $5.00 with a selective eBook thrown in for free? I'm beginning to wonder if at some point Apple will indeed lower the boom on eBooks in some fashion. I don't think ePub is up to Apple's standards (look, for crying out loud, it just *recently* got justification!) and I really think they're bound to come up with their own way. Just as they did with Copy & Paste (which you must admit is superior to all prior ways third parties had suggested!). Interesting take, but from what I understood, a trip to Safari is actually needed in order to fully browse and buy from Amazon’s K Store. Or am I mistaken?

At any rate, could these free apps get away with a nominal 99-cent price? Or join with a publisher so that the app is, say, $5.00 with a selective eBook thrown in for free?

I’m beginning to wonder if at some point Apple will indeed lower the boom on eBooks in some fashion. I don’t think ePub is up to Apple’s standards (look, for crying out loud, it just *recently* got justification!) and I really think they’re bound to come up with their own way. Just as they did with Copy & Paste (which you must admit is superior to all prior ways third parties had suggested!).

]]> By: David S. http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/17/will-apple-throw-the-book-at-e-book-apps/comment-page-1/#comment-1022912 David S. Tue, 17 Mar 2009 23:34:08 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/17/will-apple-throw-the-book-at-e-book-apps/#comment-1022912 Of course if the ebook reader companies want to get access to the iTunes store to sell books all they have to do is start charging $0.99 for their reader app, that's a lot cheaper than buying a Kindle or Sony reader! Of course if the ebook reader companies want to get access to the iTunes store to sell books all they have to do is start charging $0.99 for their reader app, that’s a lot cheaper than buying a Kindle or Sony reader!

]]> By: Aaron Pressman http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/17/will-apple-throw-the-book-at-e-book-apps/comment-page-1/#comment-1022885 Aaron Pressman Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:50:33 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/17/will-apple-throw-the-book-at-e-book-apps/#comment-1022885 Great catch, Chris. I think the 70/30 revenue split, if Apple insisted on it for all e-books, is the death knell for any iPhone/ipod touch book store app -- after paying publishers, I doubt there's 30 cents left on the dollar. Great catch, Chris. I think the 70/30 revenue split, if Apple insisted on it for all e-books, is the death knell for any iPhone/ipod touch book store app — after paying publishers, I doubt there’s 30 cents left on the dollar.

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