Kindle app for iPad - it's June 30. Hulu has removed its "Buy" button

The Bookseller has reported that while the world (well, the interested-world) wonders what Amazon and B&N will do about its e-reader apps for iPad and other Apple devices, it is now June 30, and the last day that Apple has indicated it wants "compliance with Apple's strict new rules for in-app payment and subscription links."

Apple has said that e-reader Apps are expected to remove from the app any Buy buttons that link to an external store via a web browser, as Kindle for iPad does. Otherwise, Apple wants an option programmed in to buy it in-App from Apple, which would be easier for iPad customers.

Apple rep Trudy Muller had explained, February 1, re Apple's rejection of the Sony e-reader app:

' "We have not changed our developer terms or guidelines," Apple spokesperson Trudy Muller told Ars. "We are now requiring that if an app offers customers the ability to purchase books outside of the app, that the same option is also available to customers from within the app with in-app purchase." '

  It's been assumed that Apple's demand would be a 30% cut, which would mean 100% of the Amazon or B&N share of any Big6 publisher book.  However, in connection with that percentage, the only quotes of 30% from an Apple rep were from Steve Jobs during the Subscriptions announcement and then Apple's Internet Services boss Eddy Cue, who said that the announcement applied only to Subscriptions.

  While then it could be possible that Amazon and B&N might agree on something more like 3-5% in order to have a Buy button that would allow iPad owners the option to buy from Apple, it's also possible they wouldn't go for paying Apple whatever fee might be asked, since Apple benefits as much as the other bookstores from having those books readable on its own device and has used that availability in its marketing.  Since iBooks can be read only on Apple devices, the iPad could definitely look less appealing to prospective book-loving buyers, especially those who shop a lot at Amazon and B&N.

  In the meantime, the bookstores could just decide to make their Apple apps read-only and not try to sell books from the Apple apps, since just who does not know how to get to Amazon or B&N these days?

  I had said that Amazon should be able to add wording that the book could be found at their website and do an UN-linked URL to Amazon on the page.

  CNNMoney has an interesting quote from Richard Stephenson of YUDU Media, which has developed mobile apps for magazines including Reader's Digest, who goes further.

' [Stephenson] says he's "pretty certain" that Apple wouldn't block a link that simply says "visit our website."

  "[The problem] is really when you say, 'buy subscriptions from us direct' and there is a clear button to click," Stephenson said in an e-mail to Fortune. "If it's 'visit our website,' then [Apple] will not be able nor wish to block that." '

CNNMoney adds that "Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr said he could confirm only that the App Store terms were recently updated, and wouldn't comment on specific apps or whether a "visit our website" link would be blocked."

  Maybe the online bookstores are sending Apple updated apps that are rejected :-).  Those bookstore apps will be on every tablet EXCEPT Apple if apple makes the wrong decision.  Guess who would lose there.

  In the meantime, CNNMoney said yesterday that:

' Hulu updated its iPad app last week to remove a link to its website. The app's opening screen used to feature the line: "Not a Hulu Plus subscriber?  Visit hulu.com/plus to learn more and sign up."  That line -- and the website link -- are now gone, bringing Hulu into compliance with Apple's rules. '

That's a bit of an indication that a linked "Visit us" may not be acceptable :-)

CNN Money's Julianne Pepitone points out that "...digital booksellers rely on customers buying a steady stream of new e-books to read.  Removing all links from within their apps to make new purchases is pretty user-unfriendly."

Maybe they'll compromise on a small fee.  Apple may actually admit to themselves that iPad sales (and retention) will benefit from certain other bookstore books being readable on their devices, since that's been touted as a feature.

 We should know by tomorrow, I imagine.  I'd think the simplest solution, to keep peace in the bookstore universe, would be for everyone to be on a no-Buy button but I suppose if the price is right we could see one.

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Apple's New Rules for Bookstores Match "Clarification" statement Feb 1. Update

APPLE'S NEW RULES AND AMAZON

   Every online news site has a different take on this, so I'll list the statements from Apple's  clarifications on February 1, 15 and March re Sony's new developer's app for iPad which was rejected by Apple due to the app including an  option to purchase books from Sony outside the app but VIA a link, In-App to Sony's online bookstore.

  (The proposed rules for Subscriptions were more onerous and have been softened today, but the new rules for bookstore-purchases that begin in-app are as explained by Apple earlier.

As reported for the 2nd time, in my blog article of February 24, 2011 which explained why I felt that Amazon Kindle books would remain readable by iPad owners no matter what (see details in that article):

'PREFACE
What Apple has actually said about One-Off E-Bookreader apps so far and what it has said about Subscription-Content apps
. . .
[This is]  "a clarification" given by an Apple media rep about the reason for Sony's eBook-Reader app being rejected -- it was given in response to media questions:

1.  QUOTE FROM APPLE REP TRUDY MULLER ON SONY'S *E-BOOK READER APP REJECTION
In response to the Sony rejection on its e-reader app, Trudy Muller said, on February 1:

' "We have not changed our developer terms or guidelines," Apple spokesperson Trudy Muller told Ars. "We are now requiring that if an App offers customers the ability to purchase books outside of the app, that the same option is also available to customers from within the app with in-app purchase." '

  [That means an alternative option to purchase via Apple rather than just accepting an in-app option to leave the app to buy at the bookseller's store.  Again, this quote is for an e-reader app, not a subscription one.] '

 Compare that to the rule today (from All Things D's column by Peter Kafka, emphases mine) that will affect Amazon and its Kindle app:

' 11.13 Apps that link to external mechanisms for purchases or subscriptions to be used in the app, such as a “buy” button that goes to a web site to purchase a digital book, will be rejected.

11.14 Apps can read or play approved content (specifically magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, and video) that is subscribed to or purchased outside of the app, as long as there is no button or external link in the app to purchase the approved content.

  Apple will not receive any portion of the revenues for approved content that is subscribed to or purchased outside of the app. '

Their wording -is- clearer now but, in essence, no different from what Muller said February 1.

  The new rules say that a book-reading app can 'read' material purchased ... OUTSIDE the app AS LONG AS there's no button or external link in the app to purchase that content (as there is now, because Amazon does currently link to Safari to the book in the Kindle Store from within the app, and that can no longer be -- unless Amazon and Apple make a deal.

  Apple should deal, as much of the draw for their book-buyers with iPads is the ability to buy from Amazon's far greater selection of contemporary books and to read them ON Apple's iPad as well as on the Kindle or other device.

  What Apple said February 1 was that if there IS a button or external link IN THE APP to purchase an item outside, then the publisher would have to also offer an option to purchase that item from Apple INSIDE that app (and Apple would take what would have been an unseemly cut (100% of book-vendor profit for Big 6 ebooks).

  Many of us said, at that point, "Then don't have the external links to purchase." Kindle book owners mainly want to read their e-books on any device.
  That's the scenario we have today.

The terms for subscription publishers as described February 15 sounded worse.  Steve Jobs took the time to issue a statement at that time to 'clarify' the press release having to do with subscriptions.


2.  QUOTE FROM STEVE JOBS in that February 15 press release, the entire focus of which was on Subscription-content apps whether by publishers or subscription-content providers in general (the bracketed comments are mine]:

' Apple® today announced a new subscription service available to all publishers of content-based apps on the App Store℠, including magazines, newspapers, video, music, etc.  This is the same innovative digital subscription billing service that Apple recently launched with News Corp.’s “The Daily” app... [subscription-based, of course]
...
“Our philosophy is simple -- when Apple brings a new subscriber to the app, Apple earns a 30 percent share; when the publisher brings an existing or new subscriber to the app, the publisher keeps 100 percent and Apple earns nothing,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO.

  “All we require is that, if a publisher is making a subscription offer outside of the app, the same (or better) offer be made inside the app, so that customers can easily subscribe with one-click right in the app. '

3.  QUOTE FROM EDDY CUE ABOUT APPLICATION OF RULES RE SUBSCRIPTIONS, reported March 5, 2011.  (Subscription rules proposed were tougher-sounding and softened today.)

'...what Business Insider's Yarrow reports about a meeting between Berstein analyst Toni Sacconaghi and Apple execs during that week.

  The article's headline is "Maybe Apple's New App Subscription Rule Won't Hammer Amazon."  Excerpts:

' Apple's new in-app subscription policy might not affect Amazon after all.
Berstein analyst Toni Sacconaghi met with Apple execs last week and pressed them on how the new subscription policy would affect Netflix and Amazon.

Eddy Cue, Apple's Internet services boss, wouldn't comment on either company, but said, the announcement only applied to subscriptions.

Well, Amazon Kindle books aren't subscriptions, so they shouldn't be affected, no?

We've been pressing on Amazon trying to get a comment and the company is just ignoring us.  But, we think there's a chance that it's just not going to be affected by Apple.

Why?  Beyond Cue's comment, we've heard from a source that Netflix would not be affected by Apple's new policy.  We're not sure of the exact reason why, but it now seems reasonable to think it's because Netflix isn't a publishing business.

Don't forget Steve Jobs reportedly said in an email, "We created subscriptions for publishing apps, not SaaS ["software as a service"] apps." (Amazon, for the most part, isn't a publishing company.)

Another reason for Netflix to be exempted: Apple needs Netflix to make Apple TV a success, and keep iPad owners happy... '

Yarrow then speculates on the lack of comment by Apple re Netflix and Amazon and also on the silence from those companies on Apple's recent moves and reminds us that no one knows what will happen on all of this.  I'll repeat that Apple would suffer more from the Kindle app not being available on the iDevices since they WILL be on all the new Android devices and a real pull for consumers trying to decide on tablets in 2011.

But the statement by Apple's Eddy Cue is somewhat encouraging and a sign of sanity.  Signs are only signs though.

So, today the situation for Amazon IS as clarified Feb 1 by Trudy Muller while the new Subscription-Publisher rules omit the once-planned pricing-restrictions for subscription publishers.

QUESTIONS:
  . Will Apple want something like 3-5% (rather than 30%, Amazon's total profit on a Big6 book) to allow Amazon a "BUY button" linking to the Kindlestore?

  . Will Amazon prefer to deprive Apple of the Kindle App for iPad if they can't have a BUY button linked to their store?  They'd have the app on all Android tablets, the Blackberry and HP Web OS devices as well as Windows Phone 7 and also on desktops.

  . (UPDATED to include this)   Amazon could even, actually, offer the option in-app WHILE charging the 30% 'share' Apple wants, on TOP of the book's cost to iPad-using book-buyers to buy it in-app. Apple could give those loyal iPad users some kind of bonus credit.


MOST LIKELY - but only likely
I think both Amazon and Apple profit from having the Kindle App for iPad (and iPhones/iPod Touch) and they'll work something out.

I read several of the articles today and feel that All Things D's Peter Kafka had the most knowledgeable view of all that's been involved.  He asks several good questions, explains how the various publishers may choose to comply (or not) and worries a bit re the Amazon app, but Amazon's book customers certainly know how and where to buy an Amazon book they want while on their iPads, etc.

Do read Kafka's full report today.  I'll be interested in any reader reactions although I'll be gone for about 8 hours and any Comments will be posted when I get back.

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