Apple App Store subscription plan gouges publishers, eats their young

By Joe Wilcox, Betanews Somebody call the cops -- eh, antitrust authorities. Apple's subscription plan is here, and it's as bad for many, if not most, publishers as rumored. The first of several key sentences from Apple's press announcement: "Publishers may no longer provide links in their apps (to a website, for example) which allow the customer to purchase content or subscriptions outside of the app." That means you Amazon Kindle; before the announcement, all Kindle transactions took place outside the app in a web browser. This change applies to any content, but it's nestled in the subscriptions announcement.Another piece of nastiness: "Apple does require that if a publisher chooses to sell a digital subscription separately outside of the app, that same subscription offer must be made available, at the same price or less, to customers who wish to subscribe from within the app." That rule conceptually would prevent some publishers from extending to existing customers the benefits of a free iPad subscription."So, Apple doesn't prohibit publishers from selling subscriptions outside the app -- how could it and get anyone to offer content? But the company does fix prices. So if publisher A charges 50 bucks a year and wants to offer a holiday or school graduation promotion from its website, the deal must be offered for app subscriptions, too. Remember, Apple collects 30 percent from publishers.No one should misunderstand other terms, as stated in Apple's press release:... Continue reading at 'Betanews'

[ Betanews | 2011-02-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #book sold #barnes noble #raise prices #profits handed #things digital #steve jobs #android tablets

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Apple App Store subscription plan gouges publishers, eats their young'


Reader’s Digest Reaches Sub Deal with Apple

The digital edition of Reader’s Digest is now available for purchase through the App Store, the publisher announced today. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-08-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital edition #readers digest #app store


Amazon Set to Publish Pop Author

Amazon moved aggressively to fulfill its new ambition to publish books as well as sell them, announcing that it had signed Timothy Ferriss, the popular self-help guru. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-08-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #amazon set #publish books


Amazon publishing a "concern"—Barnsley

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Tue, 16/08/2011 - 15:46 Amazon's move into publishing is a "concern" and the business is close to being in a monopolistic position, according to the c.e.o. of HarperCollins. Victoria Barnsley was the latest book trade figure to appear on BBC Radio 4's... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #amazon publishing #victoria barnsley


Laura Frerer-Schmidt Named Publisher of Women’s Health

Laura Frerer-Schmidt has been named publisher with Rodale’s Women’s Health magazine. Slated to begin her new position on September 6, Frerer-Schmidt comes from Self magazine, where she was associate publisher. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-08-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #womens health #named publisher #associate publisher


EIBF denies link with Publish America

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 16/08/2011 - 08:45 The Edinburgh International Book Festival has said it has no relationship with print-on-demand publisher Publish America, after the US firm sent letters to its mailing list of authors promising their books will be... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Publishers "lax" on physical quality of books - Daunt

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Mon, 15/08/2011 - 15:49 Waterstone’s m.d. James Daunt has accused publishers of being “lax” in not paying enough attention to the physical quality of books while warning bricks and mortar bookshops will not survive unless they are good enough. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #accused publishers #james daunt #warning bricks #mortar bookshops


Apple's Device Dominance Drives E-book Price-fixing Lawsuit

A class-action lawsuit accuses Apple of working with publishers to raise the cost of ebooks. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


AppWatch : A Look at What Publishers are Launching in the Mobile Space

Move Over Rubik's Cube ... There's a New, Addicting Puzzle in Town App: Esquire's Hardest Puzzle Ever Produced by: Esquire magazine (Hearst) Price: First level and sponsor level are free; next four levels cost $4.99 (total) to... Continue reading at Publishing Executive

[ Publishing Executive | 2011-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mobile space


Book chains in talks with police to protect stores

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Tue, 09/08/2011 - 14:10 Waterstone's and WH Smith closed stores across riot-stricken areas in London as the violence appears set to continue into a fourth night. A Waterstone's spokesperson said it was closing stores early depending on police advice... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book chains


Publishers need to "stand firm" against digital giants

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Mon, 08/08/2011 - 16:08 Literary agent Andrew Wylie has said publishers need to "stand firm" in the face of digital companies like Amazon and Apple or risk being locked into an insupportable business model that is unable to reward writers. In an... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #stand firm #digital giants #digital companies #literary agent #digital distributors


Phonics rules "hurting publishers"

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Fri, 05/08/2011 - 14:16 Companies that publish phonics material have warned overseas sales are being lost as a result of a government listing of ‘approved’ phonics programmes. Last month the Department for Education published a new, slimmed-down list... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #smaller publishers


AOL Launches Daily 'Magazine' App

The tablet has been the latest go-to source for trying to reach personalized content nirvana. And of course it's the magazine format that seems to make the most sense from both a metaphorical and presentation perspective. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-08-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


British Library launches 19th Century iPad app

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 03/08/2011 - 14:05 The British Library has launched an iPad app allowing subscribers to browse 45,000 books from its 19th century historical collection. Subscription costs £1.99 per month and users can explore books from the likes of classic... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #british library #classic novels #travel writing #scottish borders


New plans for Cambridge libraries

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Wed, 03/08/2011 - 13:30 Cambridgeshire county council is set to announce new library plans in September, with book "vending" machines at train stations and park and ride sites potentially on the cards. An online ordering and delivery service,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #train stations #delivery service


Facebook buys innovative ebook publisher Push Pop Press

Written By: Philip Jones Publication Date: Wed, 03/08/2011 - 09:14 Facebook has bought the innovative ebook publisher Push Pop Press but will not use the company to publish ebooks. The giant social networking website will instead use PPP's platform and technology to give "people even richer... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publish ebooks


Mankell releases Wallander app

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 02/08/2011 - 12:24 Vintage author Henning Mankell, in collaboration with Ystad Tourism, has released a free app that enables fans get to know more about the location of the crime series, following the movements of fictional detective Kurt... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #free app #crime series


Penguin plans focus on organic growth and high street

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Mon, 01/08/2011 - 08:59 Digital sales have helped to bolster profitability for Penguin in the first six months of 2011, with company chiefs looking for organic growth and a focus on the high street over the second half of the year. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #organic growth #high street


Eason expands with four new franchise stores

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Fri, 29/07/2011 - 09:15 Eason is opening four new franchise stores in Ireland as it appeals for more people to become franchisees. The Irish bookseller said it was "keen to encourage individuals and businesses" to explore the Eason franchise model as... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #franchise stores #irish bookseller


Yahoo Ad Network Rolling Out Publisher-Friendly Features

Even though ad exchanges and networks were created to lubricate the buying and selling of digital ad inventory, the system is still far from slippery. One lingering issue is that of transparency: when online publishers can’t sell all their inventory directly to advertisers (often at a premium),... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2011-07-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #long term #ad platform