Comments on: Amazon’s Fifth Stage http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2009/07/09/amazons-fifth-stage/ What's Hot & What's Cooking in Scholarly Publishing - from the Society for Scholarly Publishing Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:43:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: David Crotty http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2009/07/09/amazons-fifth-stage/#comment-3821 David Crotty Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:59:21 +0000 http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/?p=4858#comment-3821 The Science Fiction Writers Association has put together a detailed review and annotation of the contract that Amazon offers to self-publishing authors: http://www.sfwasite.org/2009/07/amazon-kindle-contract-review-and-annotation/ The Science Fiction Writers Association has put together a detailed review and annotation of the contract that Amazon offers to self-publishing authors:
http://www.sfwasite.org/2009/07/amazon-kindle-contract-review-and-annotation/

]]> By: thorn http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2009/07/09/amazons-fifth-stage/#comment-3820 thorn Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:39:25 +0000 http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/?p=4858#comment-3820 minor correction? i think kindle for iphone is an app. it will sync with amazon's website, but i don't have an iphone -- i have an ipod touch, and i am reading a book offline on my device. also, the kindle iphone app is different than the amazon app, which allows one to order *anything* amazon sells. i am fairly sure that i would not be able to purchase a deep-fat fryer using the kindle app -- just more kindle titles for my personal kindle-cloud library. minor correction?

i think kindle for iphone is an app. it will sync with amazon’s website, but i don’t have an iphone — i have an ipod touch, and i am reading a book offline on my device.

also, the kindle iphone app is different than the amazon app, which allows one to order *anything* amazon sells. i am fairly sure that i would not be able to purchase a deep-fat fryer using the kindle app — just more kindle titles for my personal kindle-cloud library.

]]> By: Mike Shatzkin http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2009/07/09/amazons-fifth-stage/#comment-3816 Mike Shatzkin Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:36:21 +0000 http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/?p=4858#comment-3816 Very nice summary. I would add these thoughts: 1. Shortcovers, from Indigo of Canada, is also a free app for the iPhone that offers very quick and easy shopping and downloading of additional titles without Apple getting a piece. 2. Rumors are that both Indigo and B&N will release proprietary readers this Fall. Borders UK has done so already. 3. Sony's Reader, which has sold something like 300,000 units, didn't make the discussion! 4. Personally believe that AMZN grabbed as much market share as they could as early entrant but, unlike physical books, will find that edge eroding rather than consolidating as new players come into the market. They are about 75% or so of ebook market now (according to 1 large publisher); I think that will prove to be the high water mark. They will remain the single biggest player, but with eroding share and with real risk that mis-steps could hurt them. 5. The proliferation of alternative paths to the ebook consumer -- and soon even to the KINDLE consumer -- will make it difficult for AMZN to force publishers to sell them ebook files at lower prices. So they'll eventually have to raise them because loss-leading is not a sustainable strategy. Very nice summary. I would add these thoughts:
1. Shortcovers, from Indigo of Canada, is also a free app for the iPhone that offers very quick and easy shopping and downloading of additional titles without Apple getting a piece.
2. Rumors are that both Indigo and B&N will release proprietary readers this Fall. Borders UK has done so already.
3. Sony’s Reader, which has sold something like 300,000 units, didn’t make the discussion!
4. Personally believe that AMZN grabbed as much market share as they could as early entrant but, unlike physical books, will find that edge eroding rather than consolidating as new players come into the market. They are about 75% or so of ebook market now (according to 1 large publisher); I think that will prove to be the high water mark. They will remain the single biggest player, but with eroding share and with real risk that mis-steps could hurt them.
5. The proliferation of alternative paths to the ebook consumer — and soon even to the KINDLE consumer — will make it difficult for AMZN to force publishers to sell them ebook files at lower prices. So they’ll eventually have to raise them because loss-leading is not a sustainable strategy.

]]> By: David Crotty http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2009/07/09/amazons-fifth-stage/#comment-3815 David Crotty Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:06:30 +0000 http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/?p=4858#comment-3815 Apple makes a distinction between apps that are one-time purchases (or free) and apps where you can make purchases through the app itself (Apple takes a 30% cut of sales through the app). Which is why you can't buy books directly through the iPhone Kindle app, you instead get directed to the Amazon web page. Though it would be more convenient, Amazon does not want to pay Apple a cut of their revenue. Apple makes a distinction between apps that are one-time purchases (or free) and apps where you can make purchases through the app itself (Apple takes a 30% cut of sales through the app). Which is why you can’t buy books directly through the iPhone Kindle app, you instead get directed to the Amazon web page. Though it would be more convenient, Amazon does not want to pay Apple a cut of their revenue.

]]> By: Joseph Esposito http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2009/07/09/amazons-fifth-stage/#comment-3814 Joseph Esposito Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:49:04 +0000 http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/?p=4858#comment-3814 Adam Hodgkin just pointed out to me that the Kindle for the iPhone is in fact an application. The proper distinction is that it is a FREE app, and hence does not share revenue with Apple. Adam Hodgkin just pointed out to me that the Kindle for the iPhone is in fact an application. The proper distinction is that it is a FREE app, and hence does not share revenue with Apple.

]]> By: ‘Kindle books at $9.99 may shrink profit margins at publishers’ | TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2009/07/09/amazons-fifth-stage/#comment-3813 ‘Kindle books at $9.99 may shrink profit margins at publishers’ | TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:43:37 +0000 http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/?p=4858#comment-3813 [...] nasty proprietary extensions. ePub included? Meanwhile for a different perspective on Amazon, see Joe Esposito’s analysis. Digg us! Slashdot us! Share the [...] [...] nasty proprietary extensions. ePub included? Meanwhile for a different perspective on Amazon, see Joe Esposito’s analysis. Digg us! Slashdot us! Share the [...]

]]> By: “Meanwhile, the world is going mobile…” @ e-Book Reader News http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2009/07/09/amazons-fifth-stage/#comment-3812 “Meanwhile, the world is going mobile…” @ e-Book Reader News Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:23:26 +0000 http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/?p=4858#comment-3812 [...] that Amazon has dropped the price of the Kindle 2 from $359 to $299 USD comes a thought provoking post by Joseph Esposito at The Scholarly Kitchen speculating on Amazon’s business plan and [...] [...] that Amazon has dropped the price of the Kindle 2 from $359 to $299 USD comes a thought provoking post by Joseph Esposito at The Scholarly Kitchen speculating on Amazon’s business plan and [...]

]]> By: Kent Anderson http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2009/07/09/amazons-fifth-stage/#comment-3811 Kent Anderson Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:34:06 +0000 http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/?p=4858#comment-3811 Added it. Good catch, and thanks, David. Kent Added it. Good catch, and thanks, David.

Kent

]]> By: David Crotty http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2009/07/09/amazons-fifth-stage/#comment-3809 David Crotty Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:48:36 +0000 http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/?p=4858#comment-3809 Found the link, it should really be added to the article itself: http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/20/amazon-plans-to-expand-kindle-to-new-formats-and-devices Note that Bezos does not say the Kindle "will" support other file formats. He merely says, "other formats could be supported in the future", which promises nothing. Found the link, it should really be added to the article itself:
http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/20/amazon-plans-to-expand-kindle-to-new-formats-and-devices

Note that Bezos does not say the Kindle “will” support other file formats. He merely says, “other formats could be supported in the future”, which promises nothing.

]]> By: David Crotty http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2009/07/09/amazons-fifth-stage/#comment-3808 David Crotty Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:46:08 +0000 http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/?p=4858#comment-3808 Do you have a link to the Bezos announcement about allowing other formats on the Kindle? There's a compelling argument to be made that so few people read books that <a href="http://www.locusmag.com/Features/2008/03/cory-doctorow-put-not-your-faith-in.html" rel="nofollow">you'll never reach the economies of scale in manufacturing</a> that you see for things like cel-phones. It doesn't matter how many companies jump in, the problem is the lack of customers--<a href="http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2009/06/12/4469/" rel="nofollow">as Kent notes</a> 55% of Americans didn't read a single book last year. Although they <a href="http://technologizer.com/2009/07/08/a-cheaper-kindle/" rel="nofollow">did just cut the price</a> on the Kindle 2 by $60. Not sure if this is enough to make a difference to those waiting for a low-priced device. Another interesting Amazon development is that <a href="http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/07/amazon-killing-mobile-apps-that-use-its-data/" rel="nofollow">they've just closed their API</a> (and all the data it supplied) to all mobile applications, so perhaps something new is afoot. Do you have a link to the Bezos announcement about allowing other formats on the Kindle?

There’s a compelling argument to be made that so few people read books that you’ll never reach the economies of scale in manufacturing that you see for things like cel-phones. It doesn’t matter how many companies jump in, the problem is the lack of customers–as Kent notes 55% of Americans didn’t read a single book last year. Although they did just cut the price on the Kindle 2 by $60. Not sure if this is enough to make a difference to those waiting for a low-priced device.

Another interesting Amazon development is that they’ve just closed their API (and all the data it supplied) to all mobile applications, so perhaps something new is afoot.

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