Amazon updates Kindle app, adds new features, removes link to web store [Updated: Nook and Google Books too]
Amazon has released an update to its Kindle app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The update removes the Kindle Store button from the app to meet Apple’s terms and conditions. What is more interesting is that you can now read over 100 newspapers and magazines with high resolution color images.
- This update removes the Kindle Store button from the app.
- Read over 100 newspapers and magazines including The Economist and Reader’s Digest with high resolution color images. Visit the Kindle Store to subscribe to a newspaper or magazine and have each edition automatically delivered, or purchase individual issues.
- Customers who receive newspapers and magazines on Kindle can download recent editions to their iOS devices from Archived Items. Many newspapers and magazines are supported, and more are on the way.
- Share quotes and passages with your friends and followers on Facebook and Twitter while reading.
[Free – iTunes link]
UPDATE: Nook and Google Books apps have also been updated to remove links to their external stores.
UK editor at iMore, mobile technology lover and air conditioning design engineer.
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You can try to sell this as an upgrade, but in reality it is simply more Apple mandated lockdown.
Not only does apple forbid in app purchase of books, they now forbid any mention of purchasing via the web.
Wait, I thought apple back peddled on that new rule and changed it back?
They backed up on requiring services to sell their content through their apps. They did not let up on those apps not linking out to the web for purchase. Now the apps can only be "viewers" if they don't use Apple's purchase system.
The forced button removal reminds me of an old Gruber piece, where he quotes Paul Graham: ( http://goo.gl/wuERu )
The hard part about criticizing the App Store is that it doesn’t fit into a black-and-white narrative. It’s not bad or good. It’s both. In fact, it’s more extreme than that — it’s both amazingly good and horribly bad. And, frustratingly, many of us see how the bad parts could be made better without sacrificing the good parts.
Later on, Graham captures what it is that gives me The Fear:
"An organization that wins by exercising power starts to lose the ability to win by doing better work."
The forced button removal reminds me of an old Gruber piece, where he quotes Paul Graham: ( http://goo.gl/wuERu )
The hard part about criticizing the App Store is that it doesn’t fit into a black-and-white narrative. It’s not bad or good. It’s both. In fact, it’s more extreme than that — it’s both amazingly good and horribly bad. And, frustratingly, many of us see how the bad parts could be made better without sacrificing the good parts.
Later on, Graham captures what it is that gives me The Fear:
"An organization that wins by exercising power starts to lose the ability to win by doing better work." Like Reply
ack sorry for double post
To be fair, iBooks should remove their store link. I also like kindle, but going on amazon.com to search books, and archiving them to the app is a pain. Yes you can get the amazon store app, but again you are using an app to get content for another app. Sorry, and I understand the reasons, but this is going backward.
AH, but iBooks uses Apple's check out system so it's in compliance with the new policy.
I'm not sure what it is about iBooks, but I prefer it to the Kindle app. I think it's the animated page turning.
I'm disappointed. This was something that seemed like it could use some legal action, unlike other things...
Yep. Seems more worthy than the lodsys crap
Hugely disappointing, as this forced change shows explicitly that Apple is willing to hurt some of their customers for no benefit to their customers or their own product whatsoever.
I just won't update.
I thought the same, but the button takes you to Amazon via Safari now. I am unclear on exactly how a book purchased on Amazon gets to my iPad for reading on Kindle. Will it appear in my Kindle library like always? This must be a response to the fact that Kindle prices are almost always less than the iTunes store. We have to earn the discount with more keystrokes and taps :-[
Umm.. It always took u to safari
I think you have to search for kindle books. According to their support, they should show up in the archived section of the app. Then you can add it to the main section. Have not tried it yet.
Pretty crap way of trying to compete, Apple.
Nah I'm keeping the old version. Don;t need the newspaper & fb support
All the newspapers and magazines that I'd like to read are "not available for viewing on Kindle apps" - i.e. only on a Kindle but not an ipad/iphone. So we've lost the Kindle Store and actually gained nothing!
I can't imagine any one thinks this is a good idea.
NOOK App for the iPad have not been updated as of this morning (7/27/11.) Barnes & Noble is unwilling to provide information as to when this application will be updated. They appear more interested in their NookColor than investing time and money complying with new Apple requirements, like removal of the "shop link."
We've also lost the dictionary!
I also can't find the dictionary on the new Kindle app! This is a major loss. If anyone can find it, please let me know!
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