“Apple’s recent ruling has sent shockwaves through the tech industry, and Amazon has wasted no time in adapting to the new landscape. In a move that could have significant implications for the e-book market, Amazon’s Kindle iOS app has introduced a new ‘Get Book’ button, allowing users to purchase e-books directly from within the app. This significant update comes on the heels of Apple’s ruling, which aimed to promote competition and fair business practices in the App Store. As the tech giant’s policies continue to shape the digital economy, one thing is clear: the way we consume e-books is about to change forever. In this article, we’ll explore the ins and outs of Amazon’s latest move and what it means for readers, authors, and the e-book industry as a whole.
The Evolution of Reading Experience
What I’m about to say may be considered blasphemy amongst a certain group of my peers: I think I like the iPhone 5c more than the iPhone 5s. This unexpected revelation came about as I’ve been testing both devices this past week. Like others, I figured I wouldn’t pay much mind to the iPhone 5c since it’s largely the same device as the iPhone 5 just in a new shell (with a few other minor differences as well). But I kept finding myself being drawn back to using it. It’s just so well done.
To be clear, I still expect that I’ll be purchasing an iPhone 5s when these review units go back to Apple and once the hoopla dies down around the gold iPhone and they’re actually available. But that’s only because the iPhone is the device I use the most in my life — by far. And I want to make sure that I’m completely optimized for speed and efficiency going forward. And that’s what the iPhone 5s is all about.
Still, the iPhone 5c is a thing of beauty. And I didn’t expect to feel that way. Apple gave me both a “Space Gray” iPhone 5s and a blue iPhone 5c to try out. This isn’t meant to be a full review — for that, check out Darrell’s 5s, 5c, and iOS 7 reviews. Instead, I thought I’d just share my general thoughts on using both devices.
Design and Functionality
The iPhone 5c’s Colorful Personality
Following Apple’s unveiling of the two new iPhones a couple weeks ago, I wrote that the iPhone 5c seemed like the phone Jony Ive wanted to create for his first stab at software, iOS 7. After having used the device extensively, I now feel even more strongly that this is the case. The iPhone 5c and iOS 7 are perfect together.
The obvious connection is the colorful coating on both the software and the hardware. But it feels beyond superficial. The fact that the color wraps around the hardware to surface itself around the edges of the familiar front plate is a seemingly little touch that matters.
This is something you will stare at day-in and day-out — much more so than the back of the device. While the back color you select may be about outward expression, this front-facing outer ring of color gives the device personality. Previous iterations of the iPhone have been all about letting everything front-facing take a backseat to the screen. That’s not the case here for the first time.
And that’s even more true when you turn the device on. Apple has pre-loaded a colored wallpaper that matches the color of the iPhone 5c you’ve chosen. Again, a little thing, but important in giving this device more personality than any iPhone to come before it. (You can, of course, change this wallpaper later to whatever you choose.)
The Controversy Surrounding Amazon Kindle
This time last week I rattled off the world’s laziest column. I was struggling against my book deadline which expired 24 hours later and I simply didn’t have time to write anything else. This week should have been different; I should have finished the book days ago and now be sitting on a beach in the Caribbean, sipping a Diet Coke martini and lazily writing a long, well-thought-out column about some vital issue of the day. Why it’s inadvisable to write a mea culpa in the passive voice (otherwise it’s just a ‘culpa’). Something like that.
And yet, and yet – the fact that, seven days later, I’m still sitting at my desk and I still haven’t delivered the manuscript to my publisher, should give a hint to how perilous things are right now. I’m Wile E. Coyote about five seconds after he looks down and realizes he’s overshot the cliff.
And yet despite my urge to sack off this week’s column and focus on lessening the size of crater I’m about to leave in the desert floor, there’s something on which I can’t remain silent on any longer. Four words which I’ve been seeing again and again all week, and which threaten to drive me mad… “A victory for authors.”
That’s how some people are describing Amazon’s capitulation to Macmillan over the pricing of e-books. They say it in the same tone as people describe more expensive milk as “a victory for farmers” or subsidies for domestic cars as “a victory for American auto workers”, which is to say the same tone as you might use to pity a cat with three legs.
Poor authors, after all, need all the help they can get. They work for years on their Great Novel, probably subsisting on stale cheese and rats’ milk as they do so, and what thanks do they get? A measly royalty, chipped away at by heavy discounting in book stores. Thank God then for Macmillan taking a stand against Amazon and its aggressive discounting.
And thank Jesus for all of the other publishers bravely following them. Oh please. First a few facts, in the form of a disclosure statement. I am an author. Before that I was a publisher. Although my publisher is now Hachette, I’ve been published in the past by Macmillan, both in the UK and the US. Macmillan were a partner of the publishing house I co-founded, and were responsible for distributing all of our titles. Richard Charkin, the former CEO of Macmillan, was an advisor. I like Macmillan.
I feel, then, somewhat qualified to call bullshit on the claim that this deal is good for anyone – including Macmillan and especially including authors.
The Well-Executed Details: Buttons, SIM Tray, and Speaker Design
The iPhone 5c TechCrunch event Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you’ve built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you’ve built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | BOOK NOW
After a brief period of hands-on time with the iPhone 5c after the launch event, I tweeted that I thought the side buttons seemed a little “janky”. I was wrong about that. They are plastic, and as such, undoubtedly cheaper than the buttons found on the iPhone 5s, but in no way are they chintzy-feeling. They’re strong and firm. And there is no discernible gaps around them. They seem one with the body of the device. And unlike the buttons on the 5s, these buttons match the elongated shape of the mute slider. They also mirror the shape of the SIM tray on the other side of the device. And the shape of the speaker on the front of the device. They perfectly match the power button at the top of the device. And they even more closely resemble the shape of the Lightning port at the bottom of the device. The same cannot be said of the circular volume buttons on the iPhone 5s.
The obvious connection is the colorful coating on both the software and the hardware. But it feels beyond superficial. The fact that the color wraps around the hardware to surface itself around the edges of the familiar front plate is a seemingly little touch that matters. This is something you will stare at day-in and day-out — much more so than the back of the device. While the back color you select may be about outward expression, this front-facing outer ring of color gives the device personality.
About This Page This is a Techmeme archive page. It shows how the site appeared at 1:55 PM ET, May 6, 2025. The most current version of the site as always is available at our home page. To view an earlier snapshot click here and then modify the date indicated.
The Publishing Industry and Amazon’s Capitulation
This week should have been different; I should have finished the book days ago and now be sitting on a beach in the Caribbean, sipping a Diet Coke martini and lazily writing a long, well-thought-out column about some vital issue of the day. Why it’s inadvisable to write a mea culpa in the passive voice (otherwise it’s just a ‘culpa’). Something like that. And yet, and yet – the fact that, seven days later, I’m still sitting at my desk and I still haven’t delivered the manuscript to my publisher, should give a hint to how perilous things are right now.
The Misconception: “A Victory for Authors”
That’s how some people are describing Amazon’s capitulation to Macmillan over the pricing of ebooks. They say it in the same tone as people describe more expensive milk as “a victory for farmers” or subsidies for domestic cars as “a victory for American auto workers”, which is to say the same tone as you might use to pity a cat with three legs. Poor authors, after all, need all the help they can get. They work for years on their Great Novel, probably subsisting on stale cheese and rats’ milk as they do so, and what thanks do they get? A measly royalty, chipped away at by heavy discounting in book stores. Thank God then for Macmillan taking a stand against Amazon and its aggressive discounting. And thank Jesus for all of the other publishers bravely following them. Oh please.
The Reality of Macmillan’s Deal with Amazon and its Implications for Authors
First a few facts, in the form of a disclosure statement. I am an author. Before that I was a publisher. Although my publisher is now Hachette, I’ve been published in the past by Macmillan, both in the UK and the US. Macmillan were a partner of the publishing house I co-founded, and were responsible for distributing all of our titles. Richard Charkin, the former CEO of Macmillan, was an advisor. I like Macmillan. I feel, then, somewhat qualified to call bullshit on the claim that this deal is good for anyone – including Macmillan and especially including authors.
Much like the monarchy, Macmillan started life in Britain even though it’s now controlled by Germans. Its British roots go to the very heart of their negotiations with Amazon. In America, books have always been available at a discount – with book stores relatively free to set prices as they wished. Of course, publishers still choose their wholesale price, but there’s nothing to stop, say, Borders from heavily discounting bestsellers to get people through the door. Publishers didn’t necessarily like this as it led to booksellers demanding more aggressive discounting (sometimes more than 60% off the cover price), but they didn’t have much of a choice but to accept.
The Future of Reading and Publishing
The Impact of Amazon’s Discounting on Authors and Publishers
The fact is that publishers couldn’t justify opening up their own stores, so if they wanted readers to be able to actually read their books, they had to keep bookstores happy. But that’s not how things used to work in the UK. In the UK, way back in 1900, publishers corralled retailers into the Net Book Agreement (NBA); an agreement between British publishers and booksellers that both parties agreed to abide by. The NBA was a key part of the UK’s book trade, and it allowed publishers to set their own prices and maintain some control over the market. But the NBA was eventually abandoned in 1997, allowing bookstores to set their own prices and leading to the discounting wars we see today.
The Way Forward: Finding a Balance between Competition and Fair Compensation
Of course, this is all a bit simplistic. In reality, the relationship between publishers, authors, and retailers is far more complex. But the basic idea remains the same: publishers need to find a way to balance the competing interests of authors, retailers, and consumers. They need to find a way to offer readers value for money, while also ensuring that authors are fairly compensated for their work. And they need to do it all while navigating the increasingly complex landscape of online retail.
About This Page This is a Techmeme archive page. It shows how the site appeared at 1:55 PM ET, May 6, 2025. The most current version of the site as always is available at our home page. To view an earlier snapshot click here and then modify the date indicated.
Conclusion
In a significant development, Amazon’s Kindle iOS app has rolled out a ‘Get Book’ button following Apple’s payments ruling. This update comes as a direct response to Apple’s decision to allow developers to offer in-app purchases outside of their own payment systems, a move that has far-reaching implications for the tech industry. The addition of the ‘Get Book’ button directly addresses user frustration with Apple’s restrictive payment policies, allowing readers to seamlessly purchase e-books from within the Kindle app.
The significance of this update cannot be overstated. For one, it highlights the growing tension between Apple and major tech players like Amazon, Google, and Facebook, who have long been at odds with the tech giant’s closed ecosystem and restrictive policies. Moreover, this development underscores the importance of user experience and the need for tech companies to prioritize consumer convenience and flexibility. As the tech landscape continues to evolve, it will be fascinating to see how Apple’s payments ruling and Amazon’s response shape the future of mobile app development and user experience.
This update marks a significant step towards a more consumer-centric tech industry, where user needs and preferences take center stage. As we move forward, it will be interesting to see how other tech players respond to Apple’s payments ruling and how this development impacts the broader tech landscape. One thing is certain – this is a pivotal moment in the evolution of mobile apps and the tech industry as a whole, and it will be fascinating to witness the ripple effects of Amazon’s bold move.