Amazon to acquire Comixology!

[lorddunlow]

Also, Gerry Conway is really *SQUEE* about it.

Android still allows in-app purchases, btw. Not that they could easily stop them if they wanted to due to its open nature.

Maybe people will start to see the greedy Apple *SQUEE* for what they are.

[SJS4]

Also, Gerry Conway is really *SQUEE* about it.

Android still allows in-app purchases, btw. Not that they could easily stop them if they wanted to due to its open nature.

Maybe people will start to see the greedy Apple *SQUEE* for what they are.

Not sure i get the "greedy Apple" reference here.

As to the overall change, gotta think comixology may be shooting themselves in the foot here. I don't think i have ever bought a comic from there website before. Oddly enough the only current ongoing series i was buying new on Comixology was Eternal Warrior, which is now canceled (er, "on hiatus") anyway. All my other purchases were old series or graphic novels i bought while browsing through the app. Can no longer do that now, so don't see myself buying many issues in the future.

[BugsySig]

Recently I started buying all my comics from their main website. Less money for Apple, more for the retailer and no tax. Plus I can purchase through PayPal that way.

While I'm sure the in-app purchase option may hurt some sales, books can just as easily be purchased from the website, which is easily accessible from any tablet or smart phone and is just like the app.

[lorddunlow]

Also, Gerry Conway is really *SQUEE* about it.

Android still allows in-app purchases, btw. Not that they could easily stop them if they wanted to due to its open nature.

Maybe people will start to see the greedy Apple *SQUEE* for what they are.

Not sure i get the "greedy Apple" reference here.

Apple requires a cut of any transaction that takes place inside any app that is run on an Apple device. The biggest target of this policy was the Amazon Kindle app. Apple is one of Amazon's biggest competitors. It's not surprising at all that Amazon doesn't want Apple to make money off of their service.

Apple and Amazon are actually becoming very similar in their business practices. Amazon has a business model of providing a marketplace - it's why their Kindles are so cheap - they're locked down to a proprietary version of Android with access to only Amazon services - you have to obtain 90% of any content through them if you buy their device. It's quite antithetical to the goals of Android, but they're free to use it as they wish. Apple also relies on making money by forcing users of their devices to only obtain media from their services.

To make an analogy, it's like if your LCS and its competitor were also the places where you had to purchase the car that drives you to the comic book store, but each one sales a car that will only take you their store - you can't drive to the competitor's if you tried. That doesn't exist in any aspect of business other than the mobile/tablet world and it is ludicrous.

Google doesn't take a cut of in-app purchases (unless you use their slightly more convenient service - Google Wallet), so Android users have very little changed in their app (Google Wallet is blocked), but Apple is blocked completely, because they despise choice - you use your device only in the way they want. If you're not going to pad their wallet (even when using a competitor's service), then screw you.

Everyone is blaming Comixology for "destroying the digital comic market" (this is really what many are stating on Twitter) with this change that really only affects one manufacturer's devices (which actually has a smaller footprint than Android - although I think it might account for more Comixology installs). Apple is the cause of the limitation - not Amazon, who is making the only logical business decision that could be made. Apple needs to give up on that policy.

Like I said before: Amazon is scaring me with recent changes in their services - they are becoming too Apple-like for my tastes.

Another analogy before I shut up (I could truly go on this rant for days) - Apple and Amazon's devices being locked down as they are would be like buying a brand new car from a dealer only to later find out that you couldn't put custom rims or give it a custom paint job. You can't even change out the stereo to one that suits you better. And you pay for Sirius XM radio but in order to listen to it in your new car, Sirius has to pay the car dealer a portion of your subscription fee. It's crazy.

Software, hardware, media, and services for tablets and mobile devices need to be divorced completely. Marriage of these aspects stifles innovation and limits use of the device to less than its full potential. They should only be merged if the user prefers it as such, and the user should be allowed to change his/her mind as they see fit. Only unmodified Android (or open projects based on Android like Cyanogenmod) does this currently.

[SJS4]

I kind of see what you are saying, but i simply do not apply moralistic values to profit driven companies. If Apples chooses to monetize their devices via in app purchases i don't see anything "wrong" with that. Companies are in business to make a profit, not be nice to their competition.

I do not find what Amazon/Comixology is doing morally objectionable either. Its just that from my perspective they seem to be forgoing (or at least risk foregoing) a lot of potential revenue so they can increase their margin. It may work, but it doesn't seem likely from. My POV. Time will tell. I did install the new version of their app on my iPad.

[the1captain]

The change is not that big of a deal for me. To be honest going on my ipad between the website and my app is not that big of a deal. And hopefully it means companies like Valiant will at the end get back a slice of that 30% Apple took.

The problem is how they out of the blue dumped this change on customers with no warning. There are people that buy itunes gift cards specifically to buy comics. With no warning they feel that money is wasted. More warning and open discussion about the changes would have calmed some people down. Not everyone of course. Us fanboys love to complain. Especially about change. lol

[AnthonyF]

The change is not that big of a deal for me. To be honest going on my ipad between the website and my app is not that big of a deal. And hopefully it means companies like Valiant will at the end get back a slice of that 30% Apple took.

The problem is how they out of the blue dumped this change on customers with no warning. There are people that buy itunes gift cards specifically to buy comics. With no warning they feel that money is wasted. More warning and open discussion about the changes would have calmed some people down. Not everyone of course. Us fanboys love to complain. Especially about change. lol

+1

I only had $20 in gift cards. It wouldn't have killed them to give advanced notice. They send me enough emails, one of them could have mentioned the upcoming change.