As of an update released today, the iOS app still doesn’t allow books to be purchased directly in the app, but you can search Amazon’s virtual bookstore inside the app and tap a new “Get Book” button that automatically pops you over to Amazon.com in your phone or tablet’s default browser. This is not as convenient for users as allowing them to purchase digital goods or services directly in the app, but it does make things a lot more friendly for users of apps whose developers don’t want to pay Apple a cut.
For the first time ever, the Kindle app on iOS can automatically direct book buyers to Amazon’s site to complete a purchase.
Credit:
Andrew Cunningham
Apple’s position on its App Store commissions has generally been, to write a high-level summary, that these third-party app developers benefit from the size and reach of Apple’s platform, the work Apple does to maintain the App Store and to make apps discoverable, and Apple’s payment processing services, among other benefits.
Even when it complied with a court order to allow third-party developers to use alternate payment processors in their apps, Apple still insisted on a 12 to 27 percent cut (rather than the usual 15 to 30 percent) to cover these other less-tangible benefits of offering apps and services on Apple’s devices. (Apple’s method of complying with that ruling, including onerous filing requirements for developers who used third-party payment services, was one of many things Judge Gonzalez criticized Apple for in last week’s ruling.)
A new headache for Apple
Apple is appealing last week’s ruling, and it may well succeed in the end, giving the company the ability to roll back these rule changes and once again force developers to either use Apple’s in-app payments or force users to buy goods and services externally. But even if this change is only temporary, it still creates new potential PR headaches for Apple.