Apple iPad users of ebook app Kobo will find they are no longer able to access the web-based book store via the app, following Apple’s clampdown on in-app purchases.
Earlier this year Apple announced that if an app offers the facility to buy books outside of the app (on the web) the same offer has to be available in the app via the app store. But whereas the app developer takes 100% of revenue from out of app purchases, Apple will take 30% of all revenue for Apple iPad in-app purchases. In effect, as making money from people buying the app, Apple can now make money from things bought within the app.
This meant app developers needed to build the facility for in-app purchases by June 30th and it seems the effects of this decision are coming into fruition. Kobo was updated on July 23rd to version 4.5.1 stating: ‘We have removed the Kobo Store from within the application. You can continue to shop at our website.’ So to download a book you need to leave the app and download to the iPad using the browser.
You can’t create a new account within the app, only log-in if you have an existing account.
In addition users of the Nook Kids app can’t access Barnes&Noble web store for in-app purchases and Google Books has no longer available from the app store either, which could mean it’s being updated.
The Amazon Kindle app appears to work as normal, linking directly from the app, although in the UK the last update was April this year, so it could be changing soon.
What do you think of the news? Is Apple justifiably taking a cut of revenue? Or is it another way of forcing people to use its payment system?
via: TechCruch
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