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'


Facebook Confirms Plan to Help Pubs Sell Subscriptions Through Instant Articles

And publishers get to keep all of the revenue, says Mark Zuckerberg. The post Facebook Confirms Plan to Help Pubs Sell Subscriptions Through Instant Articles appeared first on Folio:. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2017-08-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mark zuckerberg


Google, Like Facebook, Unfurls Subscription Tool for Publishers

Alphabet's Google is developing new tools designed to boost subscriptions for news publishers. It follows a similar olive branch from Facebook to an industry that has seen the digital behemoths take over the online advertising market.Google's latest foray arrives on three fronts. The first is a... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2017-08-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #richard gingras


‘The app isn’t always brand-safe’: Why Grindr is trying to become a publisher

Grindr hopes its new publishing arm can win over big brands that would otherwise steer clear of hookup apps. The post ‘The app isn’t always brand-safe’: Why Grindr is trying to become a publisher appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2017-08-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publisher appeared #publishing arm #big brands


Xbox’s self-published indies have their own space on the store

Finding self-published indie games on Xbox is a lot easier as of today. You'll be able to find them on the Xbox Store hidden in their own "Creators Collection" marketplace. Microsoft's Chris Charla (director of its ID @ Xbox indie outreach program) s... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2017-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #lot easier


As Apple Seeks To Please News Publishers, Users Worry About An Ad Influx

Apple is said to be making it easier for publishers to place ads in its News app and even solicit micropayments, raising concerns about user experience. Today Apple’s News app is relatively uncluttered by ads. Actually there are very few ads anywhere. Part of the reason for that is that... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2017-07-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #news app #raising concerns #user experience #ad tech


Totally Entwined launches e-store and self-publishing platform

Bonnier Publishing UK's Totally Entwined Group has launched a romance e-store and self-publishing platform called First For Romance. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-06-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #self-publishing platform


Facebook’s working with publishers on paid subscriptions

The social network has resisted subscriptions on its app, but has evolved its stance as publishers grow more vocal about needing more financial support. The post Facebook’s working with publishers on paid subscriptions appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2017-06-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishers grow #post facebook #paid subscriptions #financial support


Best of the week: Publishers press Facebook to drive paid subscriptions

This week's top stories covered Facebook’s moves to benefit content creators, publishers’ distributed media endeavors and more. The post Best of the week: Publishers press Facebook to drive paid subscriptions appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2017-06-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Publishers Creating Facebook Instant Articles Can Now Simultaneously Work on Google AMP (Apple News Soon)

The software-development kit for Facebook's Instant Articles media-rich, quick-loading stories from publishers now supports Google AMP, and the social network said support for Apple News is on the way. Partner engineering director Piyush Mangalick said in a Facebook Media blog post that an... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2017-05-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #enable publishers #apple news


Publishers say Facebook can save Instant Articles with better data, subscription tools

Publishers say that Facebook can save Instant Articles by improving subscription products, letting pubs have more control over their inventory and sharing more user data. The post Publishers say Facebook can save Instant Articles with better data, subscription tools appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2017-04-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #user data #post publishers #subscription tools


In the duopoly’s shadow, Apple News is finding favor with some publishers

While publishers sour on Facebook, they're optimistic about the traffic and subscription growth they're seeing from Apple News. The post In the duopoly’s shadow, Apple News is finding favor with some publishers appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2017-04-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishers appeared #apple news #finding favor #subscription growth


Scotland’s Young 404 Ink Publishing House: ‘Believing in What We’re Doing’

What Margaret Atwood calls 'an essential window into many of the hazard-strewn worlds younger women are living in right now' announces a new publisher. The post Scotland’s Young 404 Ink Publishing House: ‘Believing in What We’re Doing’ appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-04-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


How French publisher Mediapart has used political tumult to drive subscriptions

“We want a return to democracy, to serve the readers. We want to fight against corruption,” said Edwy Plenel, co-founder of independent French online publisher Mediapart. The post How French publisher Mediapart has used political tumult to drive subscriptions appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2017-03-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #political tumult #drive subscriptions


Publishers Plan for Future Without Family Christian

With Family Christian Stores closing all 240 of its outlet, publishers will have fewer ways of getting their religious materials in front of consumers in bricks-and-mortar locations. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-02-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #family christian #bricks-and-mortar locations


When it comes to video, more publishers are betting on mobile web versus apps

Mobile apps’ share of video consumption went down from eight to five percent by the end of 2016, continuing a downward trend, according to video tech firm JW Player. Not surprisingly, then, most digital publishers can’t justify spending $500,000 or more on mobile app development and maintenance,... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2017-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital publishers #mobile apps #downward trend #mobile websites


‘Platforms are not forever’: Hearst’s Troy Young on platform-publisher relations

Troy Young, president of Hearst Magazines Digital Media, said social platforms need to share more of their financial success with publishers because creating great content is expensive. The good news, he said, is that platforms are paying more attention, creating teams to work more closely with... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2017-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #social platforms #troy young #financial success #bigger piece


Future House Publishing: A Young Press Off to a Bright Start

After only two years of publishing, Utah’s Future House Publishing has seen a fair amount of success. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-01-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Apple names Millie Marotta app one of best of 2016

The colouring app Millie Marotta’s Colouring Adventures has been selected by Apple as one of the Top 10 Best Apps of 2016 on the App Store in the UK and Nordic territories. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-12-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #app store


iBooks StoryTime app narrates children's stories on your Apple TV

To encourage parents and kids to read together, Apple has debuted a new app for tvOS. The iBooks StoryTime app features "Read-Aloud" tool that narrates books and flips pages automatically. For the times when you'd rather read to your child yourself,... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2016-11-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #apple tv


Movie studio Legendary is branching out with a subscription app

Movie studio Legendary Entertainment, which owns digital publishers Nerdist and Geek & Sundry, wants to be less reliant on advertising (up to 75 percent of the company’s digital revenues still comes from advertising). In November, Legendary will launch a $5-per-month streaming app for new... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2016-09-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #subscription app #digital revenues