January 20, 2012
We don't have to give in to Apple on iBooks Author
iBooks Author is a wonderful free new tool that allows anyone to create beautiful interactive books. But only for the iPad. And they can only be sold through iTunes.
The app itself allows us to dream of a wonderful world of publishing. Then the terms and conditions come along and stomp all over those aspirations.
Or do they?
We’ve become used to Apple’s domination, and in some ways we enjoy it so we don’t resist. It’s like having a benevolent dictatorship.
But here’s the thing: if Apple can create something like iBooks Author, why can’t someone else? And why couldn’t they create it unencumbered by restrictions? It could easily be done — all they’d have to do is charge for it.
On the surface of it, Apple’s iBooks Author is free. But we pay by giving them a cut if we decide to sell our creation. Someone else could use a different model. Charge for a similar app up front, and allow you to whatever you darn well please with your creation.
Any smart entrepreneurs out there listening?