Spotify launched its audiobook business just last month with 300,000 titles, but is now saying that Apple is engaging in "anticompetitive" behavior that is impinging the new business, the company wrote in a blog post. It said that Apple rejected its audiobook purchasing system three times due to a violation of its rules. To comply, it had to hide the price of the audiobooks and do sales outside of the main app via an email link.All of that makes it harder for Spotify to compete, as users can't easily compare prices. "[This] harms not only consumers, but, this time, also authors and publishers who now find themselves under Apple’s thumb." It's also highly inconvenient for buyers used to simply clicking on a link to buy an audiobook.Spotify's audiobooks could have easily been accepted if the company had followed the App Store rules, Apple told The New York Times. "We provided them with clear guidance on how to resolve the issue, and approved their app after they made changes that brought it into compliance," an Apple spokesperson said.Spotify could also have sold its audiobooks through the App Store's purchasing system, but Apple would then take a 30 percent cut — putting Spotify's audiobooks at a considerable disadvantage against Apple Books. "With our Audiobooks launch, Apple has once again proven just how brazen it is willing to be with its App Store rules, constantly shifting the goalposts to disadvantage their competitors," said Spotify CEO Daniel Ek.Spotify is already... Continue reading at 'Engadget'
[ Engadget | 2022-10-26 07:02:10 UTC ]
Amazon's offer to remove its controversial "Most Favoured Nation" (MFN) clauses from its ebook contracts has been accepted and made legally binding by the European Commission. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-05-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The European Commission has accepted Amazon's changes to how it sells its ebooks. Following a 2015 investigation over the retailer's anti-competitive behaviour, Amazon said back in January that it would change its ebook contracts, removing clauses t... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2017-05-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Reward the creators, not the distributorsWill Hutton (“Are we finally reacting to the disruptive supremacy of Facebook and Google?”, Comment, last week) could have also mentioned the Gutenberg printing press, which democratised the making available of man’s creative spirit. Publishers find... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2017-04-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Perhaps nowhere is there such a jubilant response to the European Commission's pressure on Amazon than in Germany. The Börsenverein hails the week's events. The post German Publishers Association Cheers EC Commitments from Amazon: ‘Another Victory for Publishers’ appeared first on Publishing... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Further plans for libraries to be able to lend ebooks were discussed this week at the European Commission. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-01-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ad Age "Media Guy" columnist Simon Dumenco's morning media roundup for Jan. 5:Donald Trump's spokesman says he checks the president-elect's Twitter account first thing in the morning because "it drives the news." (Oh, you don't say?!) Bernie Sanders drove the news -- or at least scored one of... Continue reading at Advertising Age
[ Advertising Age | 2017-01-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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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 ]
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European publishers and booksellers have welcomed the decision of the European Commission to allow VAT to be reduced on ebooks, with sales now bound to go up, according to booksellers. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-12-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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His Dark Materials author has appealed for EU directive to be introduced in Britain, to block ‘unfair practices that currently prevent authors making a living’His Dark Materials author Philip Pullman has welcomed a “badly need[ed]” new proposal from the European Commission that would protect... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2016-09-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The European Commission has released a new raft of proposals for copyright reform as part of its Digital Single Market (DSM) strategy, with one clause suggesting that authors should have the opportunity to renegotiate contracts where renumeration is “disproportionately low” relative to... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-09-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A proposed reform of European Union copyright law grants online news publishers additional rights that could lead to the closure of services such as Google News if strictly enforced.Copyright law already provides reporters with protection for the news stories they publish, but in a draft... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2016-09-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The European Commission has been criticised by the US Treasury Department over its investigations into American companies' alleged tax avoidance, it has been reported. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-08-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A public consultation has formally been launched by the European Commission to address the inconsistency in VAT rates on print and electronically supplied publications. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-08-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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After pulling installments of the Chaos Rings series from the App Store and then filing a trademark for a game called Cosmos Rings in Europe, Square Enix turned some heads. Now the publishing giant is bringing us an interesting new release: an RPG ex... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2016-07-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Two leading trade bodies in the book industry are turning towards lobbying the UK competition authorities over Amazon as opposed to the European Commission following Brexit. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-07-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hachette CEO Arnaud Nourry said defeating the European Commission's copyright proposals should be the IPA's "number one" goal. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The European Commission has committed to reducing VAT rates on ebooks, in an Action Plan announced today; The Bookseller understands later detailed proposals will allow states to reduce VAT on ebooks to as low as 5%. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-04-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Customers will be able to access online services providing ebooks, films, music and sports broadcasts under newly proposed rules from the European Commission. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The European Commission has no plans to weaken copyright, but wants a "targeted" and "balanced" reform with concrete benefits for consumers and right holders, Gunther Oettinger, the member of the European Commission with responsibility for the Digital Economy and Society, has told the Frankfurt... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-10-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Paper books are archaic -- e-readers and tablets are the proper way to read nowadays. They are more convenient for traveling, helpful for nighttime reading, and most importantly, don't take up room. Both public and in-home libraries are a waste of space. Today, Barnes and Noble announces its... Continue reading at Betanews
[ Betanews | 2015-09-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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