No more buying books for Kindle app on ipad/iphone

[mobi1]

What is the new rule about in app purchase?

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

What is the new rule about in app purchase?

Putting the Apple case - Kindle offer their app for free. Apple get no revenue from that app, though they're hosting it on their servers. If Kindle direct users to the Amazon Store from their app, then Apple get no revenue from any purchases made at the Amazon store, through the free app that Amazon have placed in the App Store.

Paid apps contribute 30% of the purchase price to Apple. So this is clearly a loop hole. So Apple insisted that apps should not direct users to external websites where users make their purchase, thereby depriving them of their revenue.

Of course these sites objected - hey, wouldn't you. They said 'Publishing is a very competitive business, we simply cannot afford to give you 30%'.

So a compromise was reached - and I think it's pretty fair - because Apple insist they remove their 'Store buttons' but they don't charge the retailer - it's still a free app. So Apple still don't get the revenue even though they're hosting the free Kindle app. So it's slightly less convenient to the user but Apple are 'firing a shot across the bows' - they're saying, 'Thus far, and no further'.

OK - opposing views, please....(I'm not an Apple employee but enjoy playing 'Devil's advocate'....

Tim

 

[Gabriel1]

Putting the Apple case - Kindle offer their app for free. Apple get no revenue from that app, though they're hosting it on their servers. If Kindle direct users to the Amazon Store from their app, then Apple get no revenue from any purchases made at the Amazon store, through the free app that Amazon have placed in the App Store.

Paid apps contribute 30% of the purchase price to Apple. So this is clearly a loop hole. So Apple insisted that apps should not direct users to external websites where users make their purchase, thereby depriving them of their revenue.

Of course these sites objected - hey, wouldn't you. They said 'Publishing is a very competitive business, we simply cannot afford to give you 30%'.

So a compromise was reached - and I think it's pretty fair - because Apple insist they remove their 'Store buttons' but they don't charge the retailer - it's still a free app. So Apple still don't get the revenue even though they're hosting the free Kindle app. So it's slightly less convenient to the user but Apple are 'firing a shot across the bows' - they're saying, 'Thus far, and no further'.

OK - opposing views, please....(I'm not an Apple employee but enjoy playing 'Devil's advocate'....

Tim

That makes sense to me......except the Amazon Windowshop app is still unaffected, you would think they would insist this is the case on all such apps? Unless it's just ebooks and maybe not enough revenue from iBooks?

The Archangel

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

Putting the Apple case - Kindle offer their app for free. Apple get no revenue from that app, though they're hosting it on their servers. If Kindle direct users to the Amazon Store from their app, then Apple get no revenue from any purchases made at the Amazon store, through the free app that Amazon have placed in the App Store.

Paid apps contribute 30% of the purchase price to Apple. So this is clearly a loop hole. So Apple insisted that apps should not direct users to external websites where users make their purchase, thereby depriving them of their revenue.

Of course these sites objected - hey, wouldn't you. They said 'Publishing is a very competitive business, we simply cannot afford to give you 30%'.

So a compromise was reached - and I think it's pretty fair - because Apple insist they remove their 'Store buttons' but they don't charge the retailer - it's still a free app. So Apple still don't get the revenue even though they're hosting the free Kindle app. So it's slightly less convenient to the user but Apple are 'firing a shot across the bows' - they're saying, 'Thus far, and no further'.

OK - opposing views, please....(I'm not an Apple employee but enjoy playing 'Devil's advocate'....

Tim

That makes sense to me......except the Amazon Windowshop app is still unaffected, you would think they would insist this is the case on all such apps? Unless it's just ebooks and maybe not enough revenue from iBooks?

The Archangel

Oh - don't you worry - it's coming....

Tim

 

[autumnbaby]

So I have to wonder...if people do not update the app and continue to purchase through it, does Apple get the 30% cut?

I have no problem with the concept of Apple getting a portion of the profits if something is purchased through the app but I don't think they should get all of the profits.

 

[PatS]

Surprised the Nook app has not updated to remove the '"shop" button yet. Undoubtedly it is coming soon.

The best solution seems to be to create a link from amazon's safari ebook shop and install on iPad next to the Kindle app

 

[Somerled]

So I have to wonder...if people do not update the app and continue to purchase through it, does Apple get the 30% cut?

I have no problem with the concept of Apple getting a portion of the profits if something is purchased through the app but I don't think they should get all of the profits.

Apple never got anything from the Kindle app. The button that was removed only ever opened Safari to the Kindle section of the Amazon website.

 

[MadChef]

The NOOK app has been pulled from the Apple store but will be coming back soon.

According to Jamie Iannone, President of Digital Products, Barnes & Noble:

“Millions of iOS device owners have downloaded our free NOOK apps, and with our upcoming NOOK for iPad update, our customers will have access to one of the largest digital collections of interactive magazines and top newspapers through a highly advanced, seamless reading experience. Customers tell us they appreciate the flexibility of reading their favorite digital newspapers, magazines, books, kids’ books and more from Barnes & Noble on their iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices, and we are pleased to offer these new innovations and free reading apps to them.”

 

[metheridge]

Keep on with your 1984 monopolistic BS apple and I see me getting closer to a Android pad....

Sent from my iPad2 using iPF!

 

[Kirstenn]

Books

Personally, I feel Apple is turning into Microsoft more and more each time something like this happens. Like Microsoft, they are taking away our freedom to choose what we do with a product we have purchased. When I purchased my iPad I did so because of the choices that were available to me. Take away those choices and I will find a product that will allow me to make those choices when it comes time to upgrade my iPad. As a society we have become complacent in allowing the corporations to make our choices for us believing that in order to use their products we must abide by their rules. However, as a consumer WE should be dictating what those rules are, not the other way around. Yes, I understand it is "just" a shortcut link to the store, but it is a link I utilized so why should I be forced to give it up on a product I have paid for and supported. This is blatant monopolization of consumer after product sales. Yes, they need to make money etc. But they have already reeped the benefits of my hard earned cash through the purchase of the iPad itself. If they want to continue to reep those benefits then they need to provide their CUSTOMERS with products/applications they do want to purchase instead of forcing them on us in such an underhanded manner. If you create a product we like Apple, we will purchase it, but do not insult the intelligence of your costomers by creating situations that force us to use something that is not our choice. iBooks is not my choice of applications for many of the reasons mentioned in other posts. Kindle provided a product that better met my needs so I went to their app instead. This is MY choice to utilize their application to download books to MY iPad. It is not a choice anyone should be making for me. I am the consumer, make me happy! Don't dictate to me what that happiness should look like, it is not your decision to make Apple!!!!

 

[crappa]

I updated all available apps yesterday, and Kindle was included. I just downloaded a book through Safari, it was a simple process. If I find it simple, believe me, it must be simple. I put a homepage bookmark next to the Kindle app in my books folder. This should take care of me from now on.

I started reading this app hoping to answer a question that I will ask anyway. After doing the upgrade, could I revert back to the previous app's version by deleting the app from the iPad, then syncing to iTunes and have the app in iTunes reinstall? (Note, iTunes hasn't been in contact with the web because that computer has been powered off for a while). And if so, could I get my books back from a restore (of my backups) through iTunes?

Thanks.

 

[Tom March]

Personally, I feel Apple is turning into Microsoft more and more each time something like this happens. Like Microsoft, they are taking away our freedom to choose what we do with a product we have purchased. When I purchased my iPad I did so because of the choices that were available to me. Take away those choices and I will find a product that will allow me to make those choices when it comes time to upgrade my iPad. As a society we have become complacent in allowing the corporations to make our choices for us believing that in order to use their products we must abide by their rules. However, as a consumer WE should be dictating what those rules are, not the other way around. Yes, I understand it is "just" a shortcut link to the store, but it is a link I utilized so why should I be forced to give it up on a product I have paid for and supported. This is blatant monopolization of consumer after product sales. Yes, they need to make money etc. But they have already reeped the benefits of my hard earned cash through the purchase of the iPad itself. If they want to continue to reep those benefits then they need to provide their CUSTOMERS with products/applications they do want to purchase instead of forcing them on us in such an underhanded manner. If you create a product we like Apple, we will purchase it, but do not insult the intelligence of your costomers by creating situations that force us to use something that is not our choice. iBooks is not my choice of applications for many of the reasons mentioned in other posts. Kindle provided a product that better met my needs so I went to their app instead. This is MY choice to utilize their application to download books to MY iPad. It is not a choice anyone should be making for me. I am the consumer, make me happy! Don't dictate to me what that happiness should look like, it is not your decision to make Apple!!!!

With all due respect, Apple has ALWAYS been more controlling than Microsoft. While I share your angst, This is just Apple being Apple. (which is why, despite being smitten by my iPod, my iPhone, and now my iPad I will probably never buy an Apple computer and will avoid Apple's icloud as long as possible.)

 

[info]

Oh well, I suppose it will just be easier to buy all my books using iBooks from now on.

 

[Mickey330]

...I started reading this app hoping to answer a question that I will ask anyway. After doing the upgrade, could I revert back to the previous app's version by deleting the app from the iPad, then syncing to iTunes and have the app in iTunes reinstall? (Note, iTunes hasn't been in contact with the web because that computer has been powered off for a while). And if so, could I get my books back from a restore (of my backups) through iTunes?

Thanks.

I don't see any reason why not. The app on iTunes isn't updated (and, won't update automatically, AFAIK - you have to make them update yourself in iTunes).

First, make sure you've got auto sync turned off (both in the Preferences tab and in the iPad's Apps tab).

Delete the app from your iPad. Hook the iPad up to iTunes and right click on the Ipad line; select "transfer purchases." This will ensure that all app purchases you have made since the last sync get transferred to iTunes.

Then, drag the Kindle app from iTunes to the iPad (or tick the Kindle app's box in the iPad's Apps tab). Then press the apply/sync button at bottom right.

Caution: If you don't both (1) delete the Kindle app and (2) transfer purchases first, when you do the sync, you will lose any app (and its data) you've put on the iPad since the last sync with iTunes, This is because iTunes is only going to keep apps on the iPad it already has listed as being on the iPad from the last sync. You can get them back, no charge, from the App Store (but probably not the data, such as game scores) - but why cause yourself the hassle?

As I said, I am pretty sure this will work. Just remember, from now on, you will have that red badge on your App Store icon, reminding you that you have an update. And, you'll have to take care not to accidentally upgrade it.

Good luck and, as one final caution - logic tells me it should work. However, if it doesn't, sorry 'bout that!

Marilyn

 

[crappa]

@ Mickey330
Thanks Marilyn. Your thoughts are the same as mine. The transfer purchases step i may have missed in my train of thought, i was thinking of a full blown restore. I can live with buying through Safari, which I didn't know I could do when I started reading this thread the first time. It was really simple. But it is good to know I can revert back if I update in error, or get a bad update. I have had my auto sync turned off ever since iTunes randomly put my app icons all over the place. I check this before I sync. But that's another tale.