In a move that has definite ramifications for the world of digital comics, Apple has rejected Sony’s iPhone application, which would have allowed customers to buy and read content from the Sony Reader Store without giving them the chance to purchase the same material through Apple’s iTunes store.
Although an article in the New York Times gave the impression that all content for iOS devices would have to flow through the iTunes store, Digital Daily quoted Apple spokesperson Trudy Miller who clarified the situation: “We are now requiring that if an app offers customers the ability to purchase books outside of the app, that the same option is available to customers from within the app with an in-app purchase.” So it appears that customers won’t have to purchase all their iOS content from Apple, but app developers will have to offer consumers the option to buy through iTunes or face having their app rejected.
Apple’s decision to force developers to offer consumers the option to purchase via iTunes appears to have ramifications for Dark Horse, which announced a proprietary system under which consumers would buy digital comics directly from Dark Horse on the Web and read them on mobile devices. This method would save Dark Horse the 30% cut that Apple takes from all iTunes purchases and was planned to allow Dark Horse to lower the cost of its digital comics offerings to $1.49 and to give a larger share of the proceeds to the creators (see “Dark Horse Goes Its Own Way on Digital”).
Dark Horse had indicated that it would release its first wave of digital titles in January (see “Dark Horse Reveals First Digital Titles”), but it has not done so. When asked for a comment on Apple’s decision on Sony’s iPhone app, a Dark Horse spokesperson gave ICv2 “a Cheerful no comment.”
Dark Horse had indicated that it would release its first wave of digital titles in January (see “Dark Horse Reveals First Digital Titles”), but it has not done so. When asked for a comment on Apple’s decision on Sony’s iPhone app, a Dark Horse spokesperson gave ICv2 “a Cheerful no comment.”
The effect of Apple’s decision on other digital comics providers appears to be less impactful. comiXology, for example, provides the option to buy apps also offered on other platforms (such as via its Web store) via the iTunes store. When reached by ICv2, a spokesperson for comiXology noted that the company had not received any indication from Apple that the company's app didn’t meet Apple’s guidelines.
