Head-Fi.org › Forums › Misc.-Category Forums › Members' Lounge (General Discussion) › Thanks, Apple. Ipad helps jack price of e-books
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Thanks, Apple. Ipad helps jack price of e-books - Page 3

post #31 of 40
2/3/10 at 10:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by majid View Post
I am not sure if that's really the case. Amazon is its own wholesaler and gets a 70% discount over the hardback price. The actual cost of bandwidth to distribute the book is minuscule - we are not talking about gigabyte video files here. They would only make an actual loss for a book that costs more than $9.99/30% or $33.30. Methinks the lady protesteth too much.
Source for pricing.

Breakdown of percentages.

Assuming that's correct, Amazon is losing money as they claim to be. Typical new release hardback runs in the high 20's to low 30's, and $9.99 is significantly less than half that.

The adoption of the $9.99 price point for eBooks would be a major issue for publishers' current business model if eBooks get significant market share. Preproduction, royalties, and marketing would eat all of that. Add in the eRetailers share, and someone's taking a haircut. Given the dismal shape that the publishing industry is in right now, they really can't afford this.

Which is why Apple's $14.99, 70/30 split is so appetizing for them. The publisher share covers their current business model's costs just as physical books do now, with enough left over so the eRetailer gets their cut. Course, eBooks would forever remain a small niche at this price point because the vast majority of book buyers would be unwillling to pay the same price for an eBook as they would for a physical book. Which, I suspect, would be fine and dandy for publishers.

The only conclusion I can come up with is that Apple is intentionally burning down the eBook market in order to cripple Amazon's efforts in the area.

Quote:
Originally Posted by DeusEx View Post
Amazon acquires touchscreen startup Touchco, will merge it with Kindle division - SlashGear

Looks like Amazon's finally decided to make their own "iPad", or at least put a much better screen on the Kindle..
More likely they're just going touchscreen Kindle like Sony did with with their top of the line eReader. Difference being, the touchscreen layer on the Sony seriously impacts readability as it adds it's own set of internal reflections. eInk's dependence on external light sources makes it much more noticeable than it would be on active backlight displays. Touchco's technology would mitigate that concern.

Quote:
Originally Posted by vagarach View Post
It's $5 more, still far less than the insane $30 they want for a hardcover (seriously, a work of fiction can't be worth that much, nor can the binding). In the end, if people really start balking at this price, Apple will just do the same thing Amazon has been doing and set the price where the sales are at the level they want.
If you're paying the full $30 for a new release hardcover, you're generally doing it wrong. Online book sellers routinely have books for 40% (or more) off hardcover price. That's the price that eBooks are competing against, not the notional hardcover price.
Reply
post #32 of 40
2/3/10 at 11:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by marvin View Post

The only conclusion I can come up with is that Apple is intentionally burning down the eBook market in order to cripple Amazon's efforts in the area.
I think you hit the nail on the head there. It's not like Apple didn't have the clout to insist on pricing parity with Amazon..

I see they just removed USB transfer from Stanza (Owned by Amazon) at Apple's request..hmm no putting your files on our ipad unless you use Itunes.. or do it one at at time using the horribly cumbersome WiFi.. which again is an Apple insistence..

Seriously.. Apple are like one more restriction away from a lawsuit.. Can you imagine if Microsoft tried this ? there'd be outrage!
Reply
post #33 of 40
2/3/10 at 11:23pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by craiglester View Post
Eyestrain. Plain and simple.. no matter what kind of back-lit LCD technology you use, it WILL cause eyestrain. E-Ink wasn't just invented for a lark.
I thought Apple was going to release some kind of brand new screen that offered some new equivalent of E-Ink. I've looked at e-reader and those screens are very pleasant to look at.

On the other hand....

I know the fact that I'm practically blind unless I'm reading or looking at something in bright light is partly due to computer screens. Experts say reading LED screen doesnt hurt your eyes, but I've stared at backlit (I think that's the key) lapbook screens way too long and my eyes are now shot. I have to use a keychain flashlight to illuminate everything when I'm in an average room so I can read it. It's like I NEED things to be backlit to read them anymore. For about 3 years after I got my first powerbook, I could close my eyes and see a spinning image replicating the move of electrons on my powerbooks screen! That's when I knew alot of LED reading my screwing up my vision.
Reply
post #34 of 40
2/5/10 at 2:29pm
Thread Starter 
More prices rising

Third Major Publisher Dumps Amazon $9.99 E-books Model - PCWorld
Reply
post #35 of 40
2/6/10 at 3:27pm
This article sums up the situation nicely.

Why (and How) Apple Killed the $9.99 Ebook - Kindle - Gizmodo
Reply
post #36 of 40
2/6/10 at 3:57pm
Barnes and Noble is still selling ebook best sellers at $9.99, i wonder if that will change too.
Reply
post #37 of 40
2/7/10 at 5:14pm
An author's take on the situation.

washingtonpost.com
Reply
post #38 of 40
2/7/10 at 6:50pm
Writers deserve their money's worth.
Reply
post #39 of 40
2/7/10 at 7:21pm
My favorite thing to read on forums discussing the Kindle and similar devices is when people buy a device and donate their entire book collection to the library. Then, they have problems later on and it all goes away. No books.

In any case, I want a kindle, mostly because I have a bunch of e-books I've purchased earlier in other formats. I'm able to convert them to pdf and other formats which will work on a kindle or barnes and noble's new thing or the iPad, if I decide to buy one (probably not). In any case, the ability to take a library with me is still a cool thing.

Cheers and happy reading,
Zach
Reply
post #40 of 40
2/8/10 at 7:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by chadbang View Post
I thought Apple was going to release some kind of brand new screen that offered some new equivalent of E-Ink. I've looked at e-reader and those screens are very pleasant to look at.
Nope, the iPad's screens are just IPS technology instead of the more popular TN technology. The main differences are higher price, better color reproduction, less color shifting as viewing angles change, and a bit slower response times. For the most part, it's still the same old LCD technology.

The average buyer will eat it up though since LCD screens are much flashier than eInk and don't require the (very short) time to acclimate to the eInk refresh period.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zarathustra19
My favorite thing to read on forums discussing the Kindle and similar devices is when people buy a device and donate their entire book collection to the library. Then, they have problems later on and it all goes away. No books.
No doubt that eBooks don't currently fulfill every reader's needs and that the people that don't understand the built in limitations are going to be sorely disappointed when they run into them. The wonders of the wooly IP market...
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Misc.-Category Forums › Members' Lounge (General Discussion) › Thanks, Apple. Ipad helps jack price of e-books