Amazon stops selling digital goods in its Android app to escape Google's Play Store tax - Android Police

Panzer was taking a nap when he was shaken from his kitty bed by crying and the gnashing of teeth coming from the Catosphere. Hopping in the Panzermobile, our brave kitty boy followed all the noise to the Android Police site. There he found a post about Amazon and the Google Play Store.

 

Let's see what happens.

According to Ryne Hager's post, Amazon is no longer selling digital works in the Android app. Beginning in June Google will be charging the seller for digital sales through the Play Store. With this development Amazon decided to no longer sell digital items through the Play Store. Consequently, Amazon customers can no longer purchase digital items through Amazon's app and instead are told to buy direct from Amazon. The post includes samples of what Amazon customers see when they try to purchase using the app.

 

Panzer says, "It will be interesting to see if customers do leave Google and go to Amazon to buy direct."

 

Note: This is a very long post. Bring a cup of tea, a muffin and a chocolate chip cookie (biscuit) for today's reading.

 

To read the post tootle over to Google Play Store

Google will soon begin enforcing in-app purchase fees for all apps that sell digital content - TeleRead

 Today when Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere, he found a post at TeleRead about Google's new app sales fees.

Will Amazon play nice in Google's sandbox?

The post at TeleRead by Chris Meadows, says Google just announced they will be charging fees to app developers. Google's announcement says all apps sold in the Google Play app store which sell digital goods in the apps will be required to pay 30 percent of the money they earn to Google. To ensure Google knows how much an app makes from the in-app sales, developers are "required to use Google Play's billing system." The post also discusses the Amazon, Nook and Kobo ebook apps available in the Google Play store. There are several links in this post, including one about Fortnite being removed from the Google app store.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... This little kitty wonders who can afford to give Google 30 percent of their sales money."

Note: This is a long post. Bring a thermos of tea and six muffins for your reading experience today.

To read the post tootle over to Google

Bookwire Cites Growth in Spanish-Language Audiobooks, Ebooks - Publishing Perspectives

Today, Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when he heard clapping and cheering outside the Panzermobile. Following all the happiness took our traveling kitty to the Publishing Perspective site. There with a little digging in the posts, he found one about the Spanish-language audio book and ebook market.

That virus thingy opened up the market?

According to Porter Anderson's post, the Spanish-language market for audio and ebooks is increasing. Bookwire reported a 36 percent increase in audio and ebook sales in 2019. There is speculation that because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the closing of physical bookstores there will be an even greater increase in 2020. The post includes graphs and charts showing sales, genres bought, subscription services and price points.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... Maybe this little kitty needs a Spanish-language version of his ebooks."

Note: This is a humongous post. Bring a thermos of tea and four muffins for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to Spanish language audio books

** In case you didn't figure it out, yesterday's free story Tex and his Stetsons is a re-imaging of Puss in Boots.

Digital Sales Down 2% in Canada in 2016 - Publishers Weekly

Today, when Panzer ventured into the Catosphere, crying and moaning quickly surrounded the Panzermobile. Following all the noise, took our brave kitty to the Publishers Weekly site. There he discovered a post about digital sales in Canada.

The Publishers Weekly post by Ed Nawotka deals with digital sales in Canada as presented in The State of Digital Publishing annual report.  Digital sales are defined in the report as ebooks and audiobooks sales only.  The report details the fact digital publishing sales in 2016 were down 2 percent compared to 2015. This isn't surprising since digital sales are down in all English-language markets as stated in the post. The report is based on information collected from 50 publishers. The post also contains information about how digital publishing works in Canada.

Who speaks cat language? Wait! I do.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... If digital sales are down in English-language markets, maybe it's time to start translating digital books and audiobooks for other language markets."

Note: This is a shortish-medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Canadian digital sales