Apple iBooks Hangover

Today we all wake up with an Apple hangover from yesterday’s iBooks Education announcement. We all will now face a bombardment of commentary on whether it is good, bad or ugly. Opinion will be divided. Technical detail on file constructs will loose all but the die hard techie. The commercial rights and wrongs of the restrictions Apple have built in to contracts, their pricing vision and much more will be heatedly debated. Finally, we will face the reality that we are now entering a significant escalation in the Gorilla wars between the big four technology media reading platforms that stretches far past learning and is fundamentally coming down to which player is smartest in capturing our attention and creating the groundswell to lock out the others. The war win not be won by the smartest technology, the most open technology but by the smartest marketing and PR programme.

Last night we participated in a debate on Litopia After Dark. It was good and at a high level. It was also strange in that we all appeared to be struggling to form an opinion either for or against and found ourselves asking for more clarification. This is not a case of glass half full, versus half empty, it is about getting common understanding on a wide range of social, commercial and technological issues as they relate to the offer presented and forming an opinion based on what we know and not on what we don’t know. We recommend you to listen to the Litopia Broadcast.

Today we can look at the high level issues and then drills down to further clarify points.

Social
It is a given that learning can benefit enormously by universal access to technology to assist students of all ages to engage and develop. This is not just a US or even developed world issue and is truly global. However, at a time when spending everywhere is tight, we must ensure that choice prevails, in such a manner that it drives down cost and is inclusive and not divisive. Our thoughts are not about Apple versus Amazon but about Apple versus initiatives such as OLPC.

It is important that choice is available such that we avoid adding more fuel to the educational divide of those how can afford and those who have to learn without. Yes textbooks are expensive today, but replacing them with expensive technology that has an equally short shelf life, may not be the answer.

Finally, we must also consider who is the creator, who is the packager, who buys, who adapts and who users the content and context that supports learning. The value chain in one learning community or geography, doesn’t always prevail in another.

Authoring
We have long recognised that we now live in a world where we no longer listen, read and watch, but were we increasingly write, produce and repurpose, or ‘mix’ our own media. The iBooksAuthor toolkit looks to fit this bill perfectly and acts as one would expect. It enables multi media to be packaged to explodes and enriches today’s flat content.

It is reportedly aimed at publishers but is it really aimed at them, or to undermine them?

Irrespective of the technical issues of the tool, we see a potential groundswell of self publishing authors taking to the tool to create their works and enrich them. Is this restricted to education – no. Is it restricted to educationalists even within the learning environment – no. Some would suggest that it has the power to help further democratise writing.

Why would large publishers then be standing next to Apple and supporting the launch? Some would suggest that these same publishers are backing not one but many horses and spreading their bets widely. Will they shift from their other investments in the likes of Coursesmart or fledglings such as Inkling?

The challenge that publishing and learning now has is identifying who the author in the ibookauthor world is. Is it the traditional author, the publisher, the education board, the institutional library, the teacher, the parents ot groups, or the student? Some will say all of the above.

Publishers today add more value than just producing a textbook and paying the author. They ensure quality, conformance, provide supplemental learning aides and content for the different stakeholders. The more complex the work, the more collaborative the workflow and the wider the participation of creating and producing it. Does ibookauthor support collaborative works, or is it simply focused on the single creator?

Will textbooks have to be created as is today and then enriched after the event, or enriched at concept and flowed into varies renditions?

If we move to a ‘cut and paste’ world of self authoring, not just of text but media, who will act as the gatekeeper, who will ensure rights are not infringed, who will ensure ‘fair use’ doesn’t become open piracy? It is one thing to democratise creativity it is another to try and control abuse. Yesterday we talked about the lack of a rights registry tomorrow we may now have to accept plagiarism as a given.

Commercial
The commercials disclosed at the event and on Apple would appear to be divisive. They have plucked a price point of $14.99 out of the sky and whether we all agree or disagree, that like mud will stick. Does this include or exclude any tax and Apple’s 30% commission? How is the pie divided up and what is the expected cut for all parties? Some will suggest that it is aimed at increasing volume sales, but others will suggest that the market is finite and in some subjects areas, very finite. Some suggest that it will lead to more smaller works. So instead of one textbook, you could now have four richer ones. Will buying more twxtbooks still add up to the same cost to the student as the one textbook today and so defeat the argument of affordability.

There are many potential issues for ‘authors’ and publishers to consider in the terms published. Obviously these may not be applied to those Apple want on board, but we expect that there will be much written on this subject and it impact on whether the platform is open or closed commercially.

Technology
Some would talk about technology first, but It is interesting and fitting that we find ourselves bringing it up last.

Already the debates are raging across the internet as to the level of openness Apple has adopted with their new tool. Yes it is compliant with ePUB3, but with extensions and those would appear to be more in the CSS style sheet end and could prove a challenge to unlock for many. It make it a close format, merely hiding behind an open standard.

It would also appear that ibookauthor is free, open, but only available in Appleworld and on Apple devices. Good for Apple sales and domination, not so good for many others outside this community with sunk investment.

What we don’t understand today is how these new textbooks will work with the LMS environment and whether they will sit outside, inside or create new ones of their own called iBookstore?

For just one take on some technical aspects read this early paper by Baldur Bjarnason. There will be many more over the next few days.

Some have questioned the size of the files and the devices ability to accommodate them but these issues can be overcome. We await the next Apple launch.

There are many who recognise that all technology doors can be open and issues overcome. To many self publishers and small publishers, app developers etc these lock-ins may not matter as much as getting their creation published and in the one store.

We were asked last night what we thought the impact would be 5 years out.

We think:

• it will change self publishing of rich material, be it reference, learning, information etc.
• the take up in education will be slower that Apple would like as the beast is cumbersome and change is not overnight.
• Google, Amazon, Adobe, Facebook all have to respond and these will heavily impact the coming platform wars and not just in learning
• Governments and those holding the purse strings will decide some battles and with the budgets for content and technology starting to blurr in the US, this may be the start of a huge platform war

Today the dust is far from settled and some would suggest that anyone who is today either 100% for or against the initiative is not going to change their opinion whatever comes to light. The presentation and hype certainly drives a stake in the ground and made messages which are hard to disagree with, but it is not those but the Apple execution that we must focus on and decide if it works as delivered, needs to be adapted or doesn’t fly.

What Will Apple Subscriptions Harvest?

Below is the press release from Apple re their new subscription service which is in line with what was generally expected. The muddy area is with respect to subscriptions outside the app and how this is to be handled as Apple clearly don’t get paid but also want to have the same offer inside the app and to process this through their own system.However, publishers are not allowed to provide in-app links to let customers sign up outside their apps, and Apple stipulates that in-app subscription prices remain either the same or less than their counterpart offers.

If I am an existing customer who signed up outside of Apple what happens on renewal? Do I opt for the convenience of doing it inside the app or go outside the app to renew? The renewal will be the same, the price should be the same, but if done inside the app, does Apple now claim 30%? Also worth noting is that Apple state that automatic subscription renewals would stop if a publisher raised its price, which raises the question again how renewals are done and who owns who.

If I build an app to service what may be a B2B subscription do Apple expect to be able to offer this inside the app?

When a subscription is bought inside the App Store, customers will have the option to give the publisher access to their name, e-mail address, and zip code. Publishers can ask customers for more information as long as a clear choice is provided to opt-out. The obvious question then is who owns who?

Basically Apple are saying that publishers must accept Apple's subscriptions, or they can't be on the App Store and the subscriptions offered inside must be the same price or less as any other offerings. Finally, and the apps can no longer link to an outside store where users can purchase content.

The demand that all app commerce must reward Apple is as bad as last year’s edict that only Apple tools can be used to build apps. It is a stand that works when everyone is an Apple follower, but only alienates others and promotes them to compete. The rise in Android and greater adoption of the Kindle platform are obviously things that Cupertino can’t see but as we move into an ‘on-demand world’ do they expect 30% of everything and if they do we envisage a backlash.

CUPERTINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–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.

“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”

Subscriptions purchased from within the App Store will be sold using the same App Store billing system that has been used to buy billions of apps and In-App Purchases. Publishers set the price and length of subscription (weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, bi-yearly or yearly). Then with one-click, customers pick the length of subscription and are automatically charged based on their chosen length of commitment (weekly, monthly, etc.). Customers can review and manage all of their subscriptions from their personal account page, including canceling the automatic renewal of a subscription. Apple processes all payments, keeping the same 30 percent share that it does today for other In-App Purchases.

“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. We believe that this innovative subscription service will provide publishers with a brand new opportunity to expand digital access to their content onto the iPad, iPod touch and iPhone, delighting both new and existing subscribers.”

Publishers who use Apple’s subscription service in their app can also leverage other methods for acquiring digital subscribers outside of the app. For example, publishers can sell digital subscriptions on their web sites, or can choose to provide free access to existing subscribers. Since Apple is not involved in these transactions, there is no revenue sharing or exchange of customer information with Apple.

Publishers must provide their own authentication process inside the app for subscribers that have signed up outside of the app. However, Apple does require that if a publisher chooses to sell a digital subscription separately outside of the app, that same subscription offer must be made available, at the same price or less, to customers who wish to subscribe from within the app. In addition, publishers may no longer provide links in their apps (to a web site, for example) which allow the customer to purchase content or subscriptions outside of the app.

Protecting customer privacy is a key feature of all App Store transactions. Customers purchasing a subscription through the App Store will be given the option of providing the publisher with their name, email address and zip code when they subscribe. The use of such information will be governed by the publisher’s privacy policy rather than Apple’s. Publishers may seek additional information from App Store customers provided those customers are given a clear choice, and are informed that any additional information will be handled under the publisher’s privacy policy rather than Apple’s.

The revolutionary App Store offers more than 350,000 apps to consumers in 90 countries, with more than 60,000 native iPad™ apps. Customers of the more than 160 million iOS devices around the world can choose from an incredible range of apps in 20 categories, including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork, and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple is reinventing the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

Apple To Take Back AppleWorld ?

Yesterday Apple, as it often does, threw what some though was a ticking bomb into the ebook world. The company has told applications developers, including Sony, that they can no longer sell content, like e-books, within their apps, or let customers have access to purchases they have made outside the App Store.

The problem with Apple is that it controls its app world with an iron fist and as already documented is capable of changing the rules as it sees fit and with no recall and then changing them back just as quickly as it did last years on its stance on developer tools.

But before we look at some of the responses we are always reminded of that now infamous Steve Jobs quote he made in 2008, on commenting on the Kindle where he said, "It doesn't matter how good or bad the product is, the fact is that people don't read anymore... The whole concept is flawed at the top because people don't read anymore.”

We are all realising that the power is in the access and interoperability, not in closed worlds. Kindle is making its device successful despite the iPad, because consumers recognise that Amazon is a platform and that its device is independent and the Kindle device is a bonus but not a nessessity. Couple this with a ‘cloud’ approach and we start to see a significant game change where the likes of Amazon, Google and Kobo benefit and the likes of Sony and Apple don’t. The money is in the eyeballs and content not in the tin.

Ars Technica in their report quotes Apple spokesperson Trudy Muller,'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.'

They continue to point out that ‘If an app lets users access content that they purchased via Amazon's website, for example, then that same app must also let users buy the same book via Apple's own in-app purchase system. If the app developer doesn't want to use Apple's in-app purchases to sell content, then the app can't access content purchased elsewhere either.’

‘This is notable because it will require Amazon and Barnes & Noble (as well as Sony, whose iOS app is not yet available) to change how their offerings work. Apple wants its 30 percent share of content sales whenever possible.’

How would the move effect Amazon.com? They offer free mobile apps specifically to give customers the ability to read their e-book purchases on all devices allowing an iPad owner to still to buy and read Kindle books bought from Amazon on their iPad. How would effect any exclusive Kindle Editions or where a publisher doesn’t have a contract with Apple for a title?

In his blog Terry Jones (no not friendly Python) wrote how Apple's actions reminded him of Microsoft with the browser and the OS. He posses the thought, ‘Imagine Apple claiming that such a separation is technically impossible and that the App Store is fundamental to the iPhone experience.'

To us we see Apple as having a habit of firing shots and thinking later and tend to do this most in the App Store and with developers. Apple is never going to be the ebookstore leader but they can’t afford just to be demoted to tin provider

So the big line up:
Google growing multi platform with Android and opportunity to bury stuff in firmware (information content hungry and advertising driven)
Amazon the ‘online WalMart’ who have a books vertical, brand and loyalty that is proven by current Kindle sales (despite the iPad) but must counter their Amazon only world by offering all platforms
Apple has great tin, innovation and music business, but no book understanding.
Abobe still trying to control the content and design of content with CS6 and ACS4
Sony – lost souls who stumble along
And the pretenders who are very reliant on the big boys to allow them to play or simply follow

Microsoft Objects to Apple 'App Store' Mark

Apple is the master of trade marking and wanting to stamp its mark on all things. It took them some 30 years to finally draw closure on the trademark battle with the Beatles over 'Apple'. They had a protracted dispute with Cisco over the 'iPhone' mark, which was finally settled with an agreed sharing of rights over the name. Last year they announced 'iTV' and obviously hadn’t seen the UK’s Second largest broadcaster was called ITV. So are they brand development experts or simply brand ignorant of all around them?

Now Microsoft has formally objected to Apple's attempt to trademark the words 'App Store'. In 2008 Apple submitted an application for the phrase, but Microsoft has now asked the US Patent and Trademark Office to reject the application stating that the term is too generic and competitors should be able to use it.

So is an 'app store' the same as a 'book store', or a 'shoe store', or a 'food store'? Today apps are common and every platform has them and also offers them through their own ‘stores.’

The timing of the Microsoft filing comes only days after Apple launched its latest App Store, for computer software on the Mac platform. It also comes only days after Amazon announced its intent to open its own Amazon Appstore. To grant a mark today would be like trying to shut the stable doors after the horse has bolted, but in today’s litigation world who knows what’s in the minds of lawyers.

Place Your Bets: Amazon, Apple or Google?

The battle between Amazon, Apple and Google is heating up and each are clearly adopting different strategies and book market positions.


Following last week’s pricing gauntlet from Amazon they have now announced 'Kindle for the Android' and clearly see the 'Kindle' as a cross platform brand no longer tied to a device. There approach is simple and covers all the bases Apple, PC, eInk,Blackberry, Android where the common entity is the store and the service and the reader becomes agnostic with respect to the platform. Obviously the devices and platforms today have to be Amazon controlled with respect to buying and reading. This is AmazonWorld, an immersive closed world managed and served up by Amazon. Forget the price drop we would probably go further and make it a no brainer and set a price that would burn off virtually all ‘lookie likies’. However, that may not be in Amazon’s best interest, as these could continue to support a eInk world and avoid a straight Apple Amazon technology dog fight. Amazon handled the adoption of the agency model with great skill and what looked like a climb down to some became a quiet victory. They also avoided the contractual price fixing clause adopted by others and could pass on tax issues to those who wanted to control prices. They continue to quietly burying themselves deep into the publishing market and clearly have much to offer everyone from the author to the reader.



Apple makes devices and develops software. As designers their capabilities are second to none, but as media people they are second division. Their media credentials are mainly born out of iTunes and although very groundbreaking it was not YouTube nor could it defend itself against the inevitable MP3 market which forced it to open up and change. Apple is like a self contained bubble and is great until you want something outside of the bubble. Primarily its role in life is to sell devices and associated software. Its strategy is to tie devices (they have to be prefixed with an ‘I’ ), with software tools which have to be ‘approved’ by Apple, with applications and services that they control and finally with iAd advertising that they will collect revenues on. The weakness is that they can’t control the Internet so have to acknowledge others exist outside their own ecosystem and some would suggest that is hard for their leader’s ego.

Anyone who believes Apple love books should remember Steve Job’s 2008 comments on the Kindle, "It doesn't matter how good or bad the product is, the fact is that people don't read anymore... The whole concept is flawed at the top because people don't read anymore.” Also worth noting was the speed that they introduced self publishing options after wooing the publishers.


Google continues to quietly move forward into the book market. Gone are the brash days of beating the chest and ignoring the market. They have learnt that they can’t always expect to steamroller the market into their way. The Google Book Settlement may still be stuck in the courts not going anywhere fast and remain unsettled, but it has apparently taught its perpetrator much about exclusive strategies and changing the law through the back door. Google scan on regardless and continue to build their repository in the cloud. They have the biggest repository of books and cleverly don't see a real difference between rare, public domain, orphan or new front list books. Their audacious ‘land grab’ of the orphans may have been halted, but you can guarantee is not over and those who think there is little money there will we suspect eat their words.

They now are on a mission to capture the device and platform world but not through hardware, but their software and Chrome and Android systems. They continue with their Editions platform now swooning the very people who objected to the settlement, the booksellers. Their mission to control information is still on track and their ability to leverage advertising revenues to drive their business remains mostly unchallenged. They pose the most likely winner in that the are truly pervasive and everyone uses Google even if they don’t use Amazon or Apple. Denying Google is like denying technology and the Internet itself and that is why they will in the long term have the greatest impact on all. With books they will have the geatest repository of digital material and have indexed the route to the rest. They clearly have the best opportunity to create a open marketplace which is based on them collecting ad revenue.

The question who will dominate is not down to the depth of their resources, these guys don’t have the same finacial constraints as B&N, Kobo, and the rest. They will woo the author, the publisher, the bookseller but will cut out any middle men at a stroke. All will dictate their terms and their rules. All have huge plusses as to why they are where they are today and why they should succeed in the book world. But three may be one two many and if so, who is the passenger and most likely to move onto ‘other things’? Who is the Weakest Link?

Apple's ‘Cloudy’ Scrumpy

Apple has announce that it has sold over 1m units of the iPad in just four weeks since its launch in the US. So Steve Jobs appears to have the Midas touch and now has it most successful launch. It has even had to delay the international roll-out of the iPad as it tries to keep up with demand. Since its launch, users have downloaded more than 12m apps and developers have created some 5,000 unique iPad apps. Apple claim to have sold some 1.5m eBooks, or one and half books per reader.

However with the glory come the inevitable challenges. We have written about the Adobe Flash, CS5 and restricted development tool licensing. Apple has also banned app developments from transmitting analytical data which could prevent ad networks from being able to effectively target ads. This obviously would give Apple's iAd mobile-advertising significant competitive advantage.

There are extensive reports that Apple may be investigated by the US Federal Trade Commission.

Remember only last year Last year, Google’s CEO Eric Schmidt resigned from Apple's board after the Fedral Trade Commission had investigated whether sharing directors with other companies violated antitrust laws.

Last weekend Apple launched the 3G version of the iPad. So far it has got mixed reviews with concerns being raised about video quality and differences in battery life.

With the iPad now comes another jailbreak application. MyWi, which at a of costs $10 turns the iPhone into a Wi-Fi hotspot that can be used by the iPad to acess the internet. This would enable iPad users with an iPhone use the tablet under the same data contracts. The application however can only be used if the user has jailbroke their iPhone. If applications that enable the iPhone Wi-Fi take off then the network carriers will be the big losers as they expect each device to have its own contract. It begs the question why not design and sell it as way in the first place. It would lock in iPhone and iPad users and you would only be using one at a time.

Finally, Apple is closing the streaming music service Lala, which it only bought last December. Some to question whether they want to move iTunes to be cloud based and onto a music subscription model and that they have closed Lala in order to reposition iTunes. This would certain start to support our belief that we will shift from owning to subscribing to media such as music on demand. This would take Apple into a new model and one it may not have wanted to do under Lala.

AppleWorld Keeps Spinning

Everything today appears to be Apple flavoured and devotees are certainly immersed in the glow of Appleworld.

While everyone in the UK waits to the 24th April to see their first iPad on the tube, coffee shop, or lounge bar, PCadvisor claims that they are already here and available. Their report claims that 2 resellers Purelygadgets and Simply Electronics, are not only listing the device on their websites but have iPads available to send out immediately. Purelygadgets is offering the 3 versions of the Wi-Fi iPad; 16GB, 32GB or 64GB capacities priced at £689.99, £785.99 and £869.99 respectively and Simply Electronics £545.95, £649.95 and £749.95 respectively.

So why wait? Why not be the first to be seen carrying one, or coolly reading something while all around stare? How many will be walking the London Book Fair aisle nonchalantly showing one? Will it be even more hip not to have one at the show?

The Appleworld machine doesn’t stop and they have now announced OS4. Not does the new operating system add 100 new features but it can finally do what others do today - multitask. It also heralds yet another model at the end of June 2010 during Apple's annual Worldwide Developer Conference. Unfortunately because of hardware demands, only the latest iPod Touch and iPhone GS smartphones will be able to offer multitasking capabilities. Never mind we can all do the annual upgrade and old models can be handed down to the less hip relatives.

The announced update also includes a mobile advertising platform ‘iAd’ that will be used to place adverts in applications made by third parties. iAd pitches Apple head to head with Google and its successful advertising model. As always Apple also want to make revenue sharing simple giving 60% to external developers, but significantly, they wish to change the paridim and have the adverts inside the apps. That way they don’t lift a finger and collect 40% of revenues – smart move.

Having lost out to Google on AdMob, Apple acquired Quattro Wireless mobile advertising network in January. This is key to iAd and they obviously have their sights set a lot higher than the $300 million they paid for Quattro. Of course Facebook and Twitter are also thinking advertising. They also force more to adopt HTML5.

Apple claim to have sold 450,000 iPads, 600,000 electronic books and 3.5m applications downloads for the iPad in the first 5 days. Impressive figures and a determination to convert all to Appleworld.

So we see ‘giant battles’ as the likes of Google and Apple square up to each other, Amazon tries to outmanoeuvre them and Adobe ploughs its own furrow but still hold many of the content keys. There is obviously always Microsoft but like the UK Liberal party don’t expect to see them win. Some may not survive the next decade.

Preview of Kobo on The iPad

A good insight of what is coming to the iPad with this sneak preview from Kobo

Kobo on iPad from Kobo on Vimeo.

Interestingly they decided to start from scratch compared to the existing Kobo apps. Lets hope the app gets accepted

Mobile Moves

Earlier this month we wrote about the Opera web browser being available on Android and how we were impressed with it performance. Now they have gone one better and have submitted it to Apple’s board of censors for iphone app status. The question is whether it will be approved or blocked on the basis that it directly competes with Apple’s own products and services. Opera claim that more than 50 million people worldwide use its range of mobile browsers.

Meanwhile the Palm Pre appears to be at a cross roads with rumours that they may ditch their highly acclaimed Web OS operating system and move to adopt Android. The fuel for the rumours lies in Palm’s inability to penetrate the market and deliver on their hype of twelve months ago. Some would say they should have opened WebOS up as Google did with Andriod and this route if it materialises would make sense but leaves them somewhat out in the cold.

Scrumpy Time

So what will be the impact of the iPad and emerging tablets on publishing?

DRM (digital rights management)

MP3 DRM free music gained acceptance not through iTunes, which had its own DRM, but through the need to transfer music between devices and buy or acquire it from many places. Interoperability is a need that many seek, but it often achieved behind closed doors.

The news that Barnes and Noble are to deploy an app for the iPad which effectively sells ebooks outside of ‘Fortress Apple’ will no doubt be followed by everyone else who has a store outside of the orchard. If permitted by Apple’s gatekeepers it would seriously question the need for iBookstore.

However the interesting news is consumers will now be able to load non-DRM ePub titles to the iPad device via iTunes. We all thought that the iPad would use only files protected by their ‘fair Play’ DRM, but this latest announcement clearly changes this. Does it mean you can effectively transfer files that are already DRM protected by the likes of Adobe’s ACS4 platform , or as expected is it only non DRM files. Permitting and even encouraging non DRM files actually also introduces interoperability. The big question is whether this will fuel consumers demand to finally break the DRM ebook straightjacket?

Pricing

We are all probably confused as to what ebook pricing is going to prevail under the current agency fixated world of hype and counter spin. However, the introduction of stores within apps on the iPad introduces noe not only introduces multiple offers it could introduce comparison apps. It is easy to see price comparison starts a clear must have. After all why pay anything more than the lowest price for a digital download, when what you get is exactly the same, irrespective of brand, offer or app?

Tablet A Go Go

We know HP, Dell and Joo Joo are to enter the tablet market. There is bound to be big battles on Flash versus HTML5, Internet versus apps, LCD versus OLED, online versus download.

The tablet isn’t the finally solution but another step towards it.
Finally we were clearing out some cupboards yesterday and came across three devices; a Psion organizer, a VHS tape and a Dictaphone. None of them survived and all went to the tip.

Apple Do It Their Way

Apple have once again stepped in and declared what is acceptable and what is not acceptable on their platform. The latest censorship is on the user’s ability to sharing ebooks between devices via the successful Stanza ebook reading app via a USB connection. The iTunes store notice now reads, ‘Removed the ability to share books via USB as required by Apple’. Apple had demanded that Lexcycle remove the feature from Stanza and as with others before them they were apparently restricted from saying any more by their terms and no disclosure agreement with Apple.

The Stanza app enables users to synchronise their ebooks with a companion app for Mac OS X and Windows and achieve this either by a common USB connection or Wifi.

Apple's Michael Jurewitz has stated on Twitter, there is no public Apple approved API for syncing via USB and that iPhone apps have to talk to PC companions only via the Apple approved via Wi-Fi syncing.Its somewhat fortunate Stanza covered both bases and again raises the question of the control and censorship approach of Appleworld.

Lexcycle and the Stanza reader were acquired by Amazon last year.

100,000 Apple Apps and The Pretenders

Apple claim that it now has approved over 101,887 applications with some 93,118 being available today in its App Store. That’s some ten times more than its competitors and all since July 2008, less than 18 months! Is it like a banquet offering as much as you can eat at one price as sometimes a la carte offers quality over quantity? Apparently only some 20K are free and the average price is $2.55, or $3.25 if you exclude the free apps.

When we look at some of the app pretenders we see Nokia's Ovi Store, Windows Mobile Marketplace and Palm's App Catalog have less than a thousand between them and the likes of the BlackBerry App World has only some 3000. Welcome to the void!

The challenge comes potentially from Google's Android platform with some even predicting it will overtake Apple in the future. Manufacturers such as Samsung, LG, Sony Ericsson, Motorola and HTC are introducing a plethora of Android devices and Dell is using it for its entry into the mobile market. The versions of the system read like a US bakery; cupcake, donut éclair and demonstrate how quickly the platform is developing.

The challenge is for Android to attract the next wave of developers and the successful iPhone ones that want a second home.

But returning to the iPhone Amazon’s Mobile App, is now available as a free download in the UK some 10 months after its US launch.

Apple Tablet To Change Media?

Back in January this year we reported on the rumour that Apple could be developing a killer device - new larger iPod Touch, which we predicted would clearly not only rewrite the notebook world but obliterate the eink readers in a heartbeat. Now that rumour is closer to reality and the Financial Times and others are reporting that Apple is racing to offer a portable tablet-sized media computer in time for the Christmas shopping season.

Forget the 1984 Kindle, Sony and the ever coming Plastic Logic this could be the Walkman and iTunes plus moment for video, TV, Music, Audio and of course ebooks. It will be the same as the step change from black and white TV to colour but with all today's channel offers!

The touch-sensitive computer is predicted to have a full colour, 10 inch screen and have internet connectivity like the iPod Touch with full access to the web and to Apple’s online stores for software and entertainment. It will be coming to market at a time when video streaming is taking off, mucis streaming is hear, downloads could not be easier and importantly for books when market hype is starting to met market demand.

The big question is not whether there is a market demand for such a product aligned to a service such as Apple’s, nor is it about whether Apple will create a great device but on the price and service ties. It will be interesting to see if the service to support the device is tied to an exclusive carrier or open and whether the price can remain low enough to be a ‘no brainer’ for Christmas. If the price can be competitive with the current iPhone and iTouch it certainly will move.

Start saving now, a major media step change is about to happen.

Apple To Let Other Operators Carry the iPhone?

According to Mobile Today, Orange and T-Mobile will be allowed to sell iPhones in the UK in six weeks' time when O2's two-year deal comes to an end. However, before everyone jumps up for joy, O2 will be given exclusive rights to sell the faster iPhone 3GS model. The Palm Pre currently is restricted to O2 under another exclusive deal.

Is it just another Apple rumour. or are we finally going to see the iPhone unlocked just in time for Christmas. Forget the Kindle coming to the UK, the unlocking of the exclusive with O2 may be a far bigger generator of revenue as many may upgrade and stay with their current carrier and the device offers far more for all.

The move will also push the Apple app store, iTunes and of course the resultant bandwidth usage. The other mobile manufacturers have so far failed to dent Apple’s iconic ‘must have’ status and opening up the iPhone is just as much about the pull of the app store as much as the device itself.

Apple now must open its offer up to more. We see its biggest competitive threat being that other new player on the block, Google and their Android offer and we all know that they will play with anyone and everyone.

Does Apple Share Our Dream?

Reuters deliver an interesting report that claims that Apple will take third-quarter delivery from Taiwan touchscreen specialist Wintek of a newly developed 10-inch touchscreen. Wintek already supplies small screens for Apple iPhones, and Reuters now report from a confidential source that Wintek now has received orders for the larger ones. However although Wintek have officially confirmed Apple is a major client they declined to comment on any new product development.

Taiwan media is rife with speculation claiming that Apple is currently developing a touchscreen PC and there are also claims that Taiwan's Quanta Computer, the world's top contract laptop PC maker, would manufacture the actual devices for Apple.
So as everyone speculates those potentially in the know remain tight lipped which obviously adds fuel to the fire. We have already speculated about a larger iTouch which with a 10” screen could certainly start to redefine the market bringing the weight of the Appps Store and its 250k applications, the power of Apples PC platform, iTunes, video and of course books all together under what would be a very compelling offer and in full colour for Christmas.

Such a move would seriously dent the eink looky-likies create a natural home for a media and start to separate the PC and the phone strengthening as opposed to weakening their offers. Alas it may be a dream – but it’s a good one!

Publish and be Dammed – Its Often Good for Business

We wondered if it was a spoof some sort of joke but it appears that Apple has become a censor on their new App Store. An e-book Knife Music by CNET’s Davis Carnoy was submitted to Apple's App Store but was only accepted after the author removed two offending F words as it contained ‘objectionable language’. Carnoy removed the words resubmitted the application and it was approved.

So if you write a book full of objectionable language, the shelves are full of them, it appears you must not make them into an application but retain them as a pure ebook. Fine, as long as we understand the rules. Frankly some would question them being submitted as an application in the first place, but we guess publicity may be the answer.

Then there is the case widely reported about former UK ambassador to Uzbekistan Craig Murray and his follow-up to his bestselling memoir Murder in Samarkand. Due to legal threats The Catholic Orangemen of Togo was dropped by Mainstream. The book, covers Murray's time in Africa between 1997 and 2001 as part of the British diplomatic service, as he negotiated peace with Sierra Leone rebels and worked towards democracy in Ghana.

Murray has made the book available for free on his website and other sites across the internet, as well as self-publishing a number of hard copies which he is selling, signed for £17.99. With a reported 15,000 downloads on its first day and the publicity already achieved he expects sales to exceed the 23,000 of his first book.

Censorship is often a two edged sword that proves time and time. The Internet just makes it easier to spread the word and get the attention of a huge audience.