James Delahunty
10 Aug 2011 18:38
Amazon builds browser app that will save it from paying a 30 percent cut to Apple.
The new Kindle Cloud Reader is optimized for iPads, while directing customers to Amazon's own eBook store. It will work on PCs, Macs and any mobile devices using Apple Safari or the Chrome web browser.
Since the application is web-based instead of being a "native" iPad application, Amazon can avoid Apple policies that would force it to use Apple's purchasing system, and pay a fee. Direct purchasing links are no longer allowed on native iPad applications.
Despite being a web-based application, the Kindle Cloud Reader looks like a native application. Last month, the Financial Times also switched to a HTML 5 newspaper reader application. "We believe that in many cases, native apps are simply a bridging solution while web technologies catch up," said Stephen Pinches, the FT group product manager of emerging Technologies.
"We expect to see more HTML5 apps and fewer native apps. At the FT we believe our customers are paying for the content rather than the channel, and that a single payment and single subscription which works across multiple devices offers significant benefits to users."
Under Apple's policies, the company would have gotten a 30 percent cut of each e-book sale made through the native Kindle application. With the web application, users can still save books onto the device for offline reading too.