For the last two years, people have been buying comics like they do their music — in pajamas (optional), on a tablet, and mostly through a specific app called Comixology. Not different iTunes, Comixology allowed readers to search and buy comics with a flick of the finger, saving a trip to the brick and mortar store and (more importantly) possible embarrassment from looking like a comics newbie.
Comixology began showing its dominance in the app market place at the first of 2011. By September, information technology was in the top ten of the highest-grossing apps in the App store, and remained in that upper echelon for the next two years. In 2013, the company announced that information technology was the top-grossing non-game iPad app for the twelvemonth. So it wasn't a huge surprise when Amazon announced information technology was ownership Comixology terminal calendar month.
As with many acquisitions, neither company actually spelled out what that meant for consumers. " We look forwards to investing in the business, growing the team, and together, bringing comics and graphic novels to even more readers," Amazon VP of content acquisition and digital publishing David Naggar said in a argument accompanying the acquisition.
The Verge's Adi Roberton was told by Comixology that the app would remain safe, even unchanged. Robertson reported:
A Comixology spokesperson confirmed that its brand and apps aren't going away in the foreseeable time to come, saying that the companies would likely notice ways to make Comixology and Kindle work ameliorate together.
On Saturday, u sers establish that Amazon had gutted the app, killed one-bear upon ownership, and in doing and then, alienated publishers and rabid readers akin.
Comixology's business concern model was working (really well)
Ane of the Comixology's strengths was gave people a really easy way to download and keep downloading comics.That was reflected the exponential growth of downloads over time:
In terms of profit, Comixology reported that it was assisting with sales of $19 million in 2011, and its CEO David Steinberger surmised those sales tripled in 2012 (effectually $57 million), Crain'south New York reported. Its current numbers oasis't been disclosed.
Comixology was also in step with the rising of digital comics. Initially, publishers were a bit resistant to digital sales. But now digital comics represent around 19 percent of the total North American marketplace, The New York Times reported last July. And those sales are growing:
What changed and why it stinks
Amazon's changes hateful buying a comic is now a tedious, multi-step process with logins, business relationship creations, and is done through a spider web browser. The originalapp is at present more or less simply a fancy PDF reader for all the comics that clients have already purchased.
Mark Waid, the writer backside Superman and Daredevil put information technology succinctly:
You take an iPad and you want to buy some of these comics and graphic novels you've been hearing near with your iTunes business relationship? Sucks to be yous.
And Gerry Conway, another comics writer, explained his gripe:
Comixology has replaced what was a quick, simple, intuitive impulse purchase feel with a cumbersome multi-footstep procedure that will provide multiple opportunities along the path for the casual reader to think twice and decide, ah, never mind, I don't actually want to try that new volume afterwards all ...
Shame on you lot, Comixology. Shame on you, Amazon. Shame on you, Jeff Bezos.
And shame on y'all, supposed comic book fans, if you don't make your voices heard confronting this.
A company doesn't just go around upsetting a loyal, growing, and devoted fanbase which is spending a lot of coin for no reason. Amazon had a reason: by stripping down the app, Amazon/Comixology no longer has to bargain with Apple and Google, weakens their hold on the Comixology consumers, and avoids their fees.
"Removing that characteristic gets around Apple's fee and restrictive policies simply creates extra steps for customers. I guess they are cyberbanking on having a loyal enough audience at this indicate that the reward outweighs the hazard," Rob Salkowitz, author of Comic-Con and the Business of Pop Civilization told CNet's Seth Rosenblatt. Rosenblatt explains that another do good may be more diverse publications — Apple has content restrictions which don't let Comixology sell more adult and sex-themed comics.
But there accept always been places a loyal comic reader could go to find the few comics Apple wouldn't permit. What was hard to notice was a browsing, buying and reading feel every bit intuitive every bit Comixology'southward. It's not as if the app doesn't have competition — including from traditional, brick-and-mortar comic stores. And Amazon made this change during a week when they're particularly well-prepared to compete. Saturday, as it happens,is also free comic book twenty-four hour period.
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