Why Apple Backed Down in Fight With Publishers

Maybe Apple isn’t so untouchable after all. The device maker, which has been locked in a battle with publishers, made a surprise concession recently, dropping a pricing requirement for its App Store that irked publishers. Before, publishers couldn't undercut the subscription price they offered in the App Store—the new guidelines do away with that requirement. The previous guidelines, issued in February, seemed aimed at ensuring Apple had a pricing advantage. They also presented a complication for publishers who are used to testing various price points to hook new subscribers and reward existing ones. Apple doesn’t say a lot about why it does what it does. But while it had gotten a few big publishers to agree to its subscription terms, it’s had pushback from companies over its terms, including the 30 percent it skims off App Store purchases and its refusal to share customer data, and it's likely this move is related to that. Other devices are coming to market, presenting new competition for Apple, and loosening the stranglehold that the company has had over content producers to this point. Plus, publishers are exploring browser-based apps that would skirt the App Store altogether. This week, The Financial Times made waves when it did just that after having rejected Apple’s subscription terms. Outsell’s Ken Doctor believes other publishers, like The New York Times and Wall Street Journal, marquee brands that are important to Apple, see the FT as a potential model to imitate... Continue reading at 'AdWeek'

[ AdWeek | 2011-06-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #digital editions #gregg hano #vice president #popular science #digital version

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Why Apple Backed Down in Fight With Publishers'


Holistic Publishing 1O1

Digital technology is transforming the world of textbook publishing much as it is changing every other aspect of the book world. Digitization is bringing down the cost of textbook content, transforming static print works into interactive learning experiences and allowing publishers to create and... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-08-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book world #digital technology #textbook publishing #allowing publishers


Will January 1, 2013, Be Doomsday for Publishers?

As Don Henley told the New York Times, what's at stake is "fairness" and "parity." The Eagles lead singer, who also heads a group called the Recording Artists Coalition, was referring to a revision to copyright law, made in the 1970s, that could drastically affect the ownership of some of the... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-08-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #group called #copyright law #classic rock


Digital companies "have stranglehold on publishing"

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 18/08/2011 - 15:35 Canadian novelist Kate Pullinger has said the power of Amazon, Apple and Google has put publishers in a "difficult situation". read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital companies #put publishers #difficult situation


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


Publisher Spending Flat on Manufacturing/Production Technology

The good news: Publishers aren't cutting manufacturing and production budgets as much as they did last year. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-08-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishers aren


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


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 |


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


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


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


High street bounces back for Bloomsbury

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 11/08/2011 - 09:30 Bloomsbury has said sales have bounced back significantly from a "soft" spring thanks to ebook downloads and greater sales through the high street. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #greater sales #ebook downloads #high street


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 |


Brent libraries ruling put back to October

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Wed, 10/08/2011 - 09:07 The judge handling the Brent libraries High Court judicial review case will give his judgment in October, it has been confirmed. Mr Justice Ouseley had initially indicated the judgement might come as early as this month.... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #brent council #libraries threatened #judicial review


Amazon bypasses Apple rules with Cloud Reader app

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Wed, 10/08/2011 - 15:45 Amazon has launched a Kindle Cloud Reader app, just two weeks after it, along with other ebooksellers, was forced to remove links to its Kindle store from its native app by Apple. The company said the new tool could be used... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kindle store #kindle books


The Real Apple iPad Killer App? Reading

Steve Jobs was wrong. People love to read on the iPad. Let’s hope newspaper publishers don’t ruin it for everyone. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #steve jobs #people love


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


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


Looking Back—and Ahead: Printing in Hong Kong 2011

In 1985, Nintendo released Super Mario Brothers, Commodore launched the Amiga personal computer, Steve Jobs founded NeXT, and Bill Gates issued the first version of Windows. It was also the year PW launched the first report covering the Asian printing industry, of which you are now holding the... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-08-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


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


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