Amazon's 'Kindle' App Updated to Remove Direct Kindle Store Links

[Rodimus Prime]

I honestly wished Amazon stood its ground and forced Apple to do something. Amazon could of just completely pointed the finger back at Apple.
These demands from Apple are insane and someone big enough like Amazon needs to stand up to Apple and say FU.

 

[manu chao]

Is everyone here that has the app, just going to update?

I plan on holding on to the version that I have, with the button...

So, every week when you get ten updates to the 100+ apps you have installed, you are going to click update for each individually? That is nine additional clicks, every week from now on, forever (and likely as you get more apps that number will go up).

Are these nine additional clicks per week worth avoiding the five extra clicks you need with the new version of the app whenever you want to browse the store? I am not judging Apple or Amazon here, I am just asking whether, given the situation, it is really less effort in the end? Or is this more of an attempt to lobby Apple (or Amazon) to change things?

 

[CylonGlitch]

At that point if Roxio still go with their own solution instead of Apple's, then Apple SHOULD get $0.00. They haven't done any work and don't deserve any money.

You mean that Apple did nothing? They didn't bring millions of customers to the door of Roxio via iOS and the AppStore? Because all that didn't cost a penny to develop, right?

Even so, Apple isn't saying that Roxio couldn't do this, in fact they are saying that they CAN do this. Just you can't have the direct link from the application to the website where you can bypass them. Apple knows that people want the path of least resistance, thus if you offer the items for sale on your website you have to offer them in-app, IF you have a link to the website.

 

[greytmom]

That doesn't answer my question at all. What I am asking is on a new Kindle App install with 0 books, does Amazon tell you to go online to download a book.

Quote from the App Store, regarding Kindle:

"shop the Kindle Store by visiting Amazon for over 950,000 Kindle books..."

So yeah, they tell you that Amazon Kindle books are available in the Amazon Kindle store.

 

[Oletros]

Because all that didn't cost a penny to develop, right?

There is a annual fee for developers.
And Apple can change the policies and charge for data downloaded and hosting the apps.

 

[kiljoy616]

Happy now Apple? So much for ease of use. This is pathetic.

I hear its really easy on Android.

 

[jb1280]

I honestly wished Amazon stood its ground and forced Apple to do something. Amazon could of just completely pointed the finger back at Apple.
These demands from Apple are insane and someone big enough like Amazon needs to stand up to Apple and say FU.

When Amazon releases their tablet should they be compelled to allow Nook on their platform?

Do you think it's likely that Amazon would permit that to occur?

 

[Small White Car]

So, every week when you get ten updates to the 100+ apps you have installed, you are going to click update for each individually? That is nine additional clicks, every week from now on, forever (and likely as you get more apps that number will go up).

I like how he's gonna go through that extreme inconvenience just so he doesn't have to go to Safari and click his own bookmark. It's not like that button did anything before other than open a URL in Safari.

This is like paying $5 for a $4 coupon. More trouble than it's worth.

 

[diamond.g]

So, every week when you get ten updates to the 100+ apps you have installed, you are going to click update for each individually? That is nine additional clicks, every week from now on, forever (and likely as you get more apps that number will go up).

You bring up a good point, but as it is I already actually look at every update to see what changed. That is how I avoid downloading bum updates. (Tiny Towers had that issue, as did FaceBook at one point).

 

[scottgroovez]

Apple get paid multiple times along the chain. When people buy their hardware, when devs pay to be part of their dev program, when people buy apps. Trying to claim 30% for something they have no hand in providing is plain greed. They don't host the content or provide payment solutions. They do nothing. Why should they get 30%?

Like I said at the top of my post, they've had their bite of the cherry already. Now they should probably get a gesture percentage (~5%), but 30% is WAY too much.

 

[CylonGlitch]

That doesn't answer my question at all. What I am asking is on a new Kindle App install with 0 books, does Amazon tell you to go online to download a book.

Good question, no idea. But who would download the Kindle app without knowing what it is?

 

[126351]

Apple gets no compensation for putting together the platform and hence establishing the userbase in the first place.

Erm...

 

[greytmom]

I honestly wished Amazon stood its ground and forced Apple to do something. Amazon could of just completely pointed the finger back at Apple.
These demands from Apple are insane and someone big enough like Amazon needs to stand up to Apple and say FU.

Yeah, that might be a hard argument for Amazon to make, since the only books they allow on the Kindle are books downloaded from Amazon (although there are a few work-arounds to that, but they aren't easy).

 

[Stella]

It doesn't make financial sense for Apple to provide a platform just so that other companies can make profits on their user base free of charge. After all, I can't take my lemonade stand inside a shopping mall and make profit from the customer traffic without paying rent.

Apple provide the user base - which means more hardware sales, which means more applications, which means more attractive platform for users. Goes around in a full circle. Success brings more users - more sales for Apple and developers.

I bought some stuff off Amazon using Firefox on OSX. Should Apple, or Mozilla get 30% of the sale price just by using their software?

 

[tjcampbell]

Super lame.

apple is just too strict.

This is why I've opted to sell the new edition of my book, "The Slacker Confessions" only via amazon instead of iBooks. apple had way too many silly hoops to jump through.

 

[greytmom]

Super lame.

apple is just too strict.

This is why I've opted to sell the new edition of my book, "The Slacker Confessions" only via amazon instead of iBooks. apple had way too many silly hoops to jump through.

Hee. Carefuly, MacRumors might ding you for the free advertising!

 

[diamond.g]

I like how he's gonna go through that extreme inconvenience just so he doesn't have to go to Safari and click his own bookmark. It's not like that button did anything before other than open a URL in Safari.

This is like paying $5 for a $4 coupon. More trouble than it's worth.

How long do you guys go without checking to see what apps have been updated? I check everyday and have maybe 10 apps at most that every need updating at once.

Quote from the App Store, regarding Kindle:

"shop the Kindle Store by visiting Amazon for over 950,000 Kindle books..."

So yeah, they tell you that Amazon Kindle books are available in the Amazon Kindle store.

Ah, good point/catch.

Good question, no idea. But who would download the Kindle app without knowing what it is?

Someone like my wifes grandmother could fall into that position. She just got an iPad and has no real clue about most things tech. Even with the ease of use of an iPad I still get calls asking how to do things. Luckily I can defer some of the "support" to my wife as she is pretty proficient with her iPhone.

 

[Oletros]

since the only books they allow on the Kindle are books downloaded from Amazon (although there are a few work-arounds to that, but they aren't easy).

Nop, they allow books from other vendors if they don't have DRM

 

[Rodimus Prime]

When Amazon releases their tablet should they be compelled to allow Nook on their platform?

Do you think it's likely that Amazon would permit that to occur?

Yeah, that might be a hard argument for Amazon to make, since the only books they allow on the Kindle are books downloaded from Amazon (although there are a few work-arounds to that, but they aren't easy).

difference is unlike Apple, Amazon never acted like oh it can do it nor started it.
Apple changed the rules and no ifs and or buts about it. If apps like Kindle and others did not work on iOS sells would be a lot lower.
Apple is showing its true greedy colors here.

Your argument fails when that little fact is pointed out. Did Amazon ever pretend that the kindle would read other books, Nope. Did Amazon ever even allow it, Nope.

Apple Allowed it then Apple gets it own services started and pretty much strong arming everyone else out. They make MS tactics of the pass look nice. Apple is behaving by far worse than MS ever did at its worse.

 

[macsmurf]

Yeah, that might be a hard argument for Amazon to make, since the only books they allow on the Kindle are books downloaded from Amazon (although there are a few work-arounds to that, but they aren't easy).

You're wrong. You can add any .mobi book under File sharing in iTunes. If it isn't easy blame Apple.

 

[JRoDDz]

In celebration of Apple's new policy, I am hereby deleting my iBooks app from all my iDevices. Cheers Apple!

 

[cube]

Apple makes it difficult again.

Now I cannot click on "update all" anymore.

 

[greytmom]

You're wrong. You can add any .mobi book under File sharing in iTunes. If it isn't easy blame Apple.

Uh, you can add a book to your Kindle from iTunes? This is something I certainly haven't experienced.

Yes, I do know that there are certain other sites that do have books that can be added to the Kindle, but when you are talking about best sellers and new books, you do have to rely on Amazon. Which is fine with me, I have no problem using Amazon. They have the largest selection and usually the best prices. My archive is well over 1,100 books, so I'm certainly not suffering from the lack of selection!

 

[RebeccaL]

Is everyone here that has the app, just going to update?

I plan on holding on to the version that I have, with the button...

I don't care about updating until they ad features like collections.

Anyway I never purchased kindle books on the iPhone. I have done all my purchases trough a desktop browser and in rare occasions on the Kindle 2 itself.

 

[nagromme]

Apple should hire more creative software engineers and fewer lawyers and bean counters.

The company is really becoming full of itself. They tout over the air application updating for iOS5 as though THEY invented it. Android already has it, and it works pretty good.

Where does Apple suggest or even hint that they invented that? Granted, the App Store has had it from day one, but... it’s just downloading of an update over the Internet.

(What Apple has done that Android hasn’t is a universal service allowing auto-synching of ALL app data—your scores and creations--totally transparently... without having to manually Synch or even Save. “Synch made simple.” At last.)