It’s been quite a while since Apple’s tight reins on the App Store were a subject worth discussing, but they’re back in the spotlight now following the company’s rejection of Sony’s Reader app for iOS. The reasons given to Sony were that Apple will not no longer accept applications that permit in-app purchases of content that don’t go through Apple itself, and, moreover, will not tolerate apps that access material purchased through external content stores. So the Sony Reader Store is out — but wait, doesn’t the Kindle app spend its time serving up Kindlebooks? No comment has been offered on the matter from either Apple or Amazon, while Sony’s Reader Store page describes the situation as “an impasse” and promises to seek “other avenues to bring the Reader experience to Apple mobile devices.” In the mean time, you can get the Reader app for Android or just read your ebooks on a device dedicated to that task.
Update: As noted by Harry McCracken over at Technologizer, it has actually been Apple’s longstanding policy to forbid in-app purchases — the Kindle and Nook apps send you to a browser — so Sony’s desire to do so will have been the major cause for the Reader application’s rejection. That doesn’t invalidate the second concern expressed in the New York Times article, that Apple will no longer tolerate content brought in from external stores, which is a displeasing development, if true.
Update 2: Looks like McCracken nailed it — Apple’s come out with a statement pointing out that the App Store guidelines require that apps that allow content purchases must also allow them in-app through Apple’s official iTunes-backed system. We can’t imagine that Sony is thrilled with the idea of cutting Apple in on Reader content, but if they want to play ball, they should be able to score an approval. Notably, Apple says that they are “now requiring” this even though the guidelines haven’t changed, suggesting they’re just now getting around to enforcing it; the effect on iOS’ Kindle and Nook apps isn’t yet known, but we wouldn’t be surprised if Apple started nudging them in the direction of pushing updates. More on this situation as we have it.
Apple rejects Sony Reader app, really doesn’t want you buying content from others (update: Apple says it needs official in-app purchases) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 12:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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SRS Labs pushed out the iWow adapter a couple of years ago to give your iDevice more sonorous tones, and now is has released a new product: the iWow 3D, for your audial enjoyment. SRS’s latest offering still promises to “effectively and naturally restore the audio cues that are buried” in your music — which seems a bit like a Rumplestiltzkin proposition to us — through an included dongle and the free iWow app. The company provides little information on how the attachment spins sound straw into aural gold, but the idea of better bass response and richer sound from Apple’s iPod may be suitable enough for us. Plus, the device is just $49.99 ($30 less than the OG version), or you can step up to the iWow 3D Combo package that adds five colored faceplates and earbuds for $69.99. No word on when it will go on sale (coming soon, according to SRS), so it looks as if you’ll have to endure your drab, two dimensional music just a bit longer.
