But it can also accept epub and mobi file formats coming from anywhere. Without this subscription, the Kindle still allows standard one-off downloads from the Amazon store (no surprise). This article is specifically a restriction on "Kindle Unlimited" which is a spotify-like subscription for books. Just to clarify, you can still use the Kindle for books purchased elsewhere or rented at a library. I will now be researching a Kobo device for this year, and although I am 'voting with my wallet', I don't think it will make much of a difference being a single drop among millions going the other way. I have heard that Kobos are becoming a more viable alternative as a reading device, and that they are a little more open. All major ebook sources are DRMd and locked, and that includes libraries, which have traditionally been associated with public spaces and openness.
Not that the rest of the industry is a great place at the moment. I am sure most people won't care, and the current state will continue to appeal to a certain kind of mindset that is only interested in the consumption aspect (or worse, the shilling for such ecosystems). Amazon has been continuing its Apple-ification of the Kindle ecosystem by shutting down systems, APIs, and features that made it open and accessible. I've been on the fence regarding my next ereading move for a while now. Other than that, many small/indie publishers gave up on DRM years ago. Macmillan, the smallest - and the English language arm of German conglomerate Holtzbrinck - is privately owned, so not vulnerable to activist shareholders: they listened to their authors and publishers several years back and a number of their imprints publish DRM-free. DRM infected them decades ago and any attempt to change direction on it would be an admission of policy failure, which is the kiss of death to an executive career.) Remember, most of these companies are in turn subsidiaries of organizations with interests in other media: news, TV, film, and so on. This policy comes from boardroom level and trickles down to contaminate every department.
This change is only for the Kindle Unlimited service.Ĩ0% of commercial trade book publishing in the US/UK/EU is dominated by five multinationals, the "Big Five" - Penguin Random House, Simon and Schuster, Macmillan, Hachette, and HarperCollins.Ĭorporate policy at all of these companies except Macmillan absolutely requires DRM on digital products, no exceptions permitted. The important part is that nothing has changed for books purchased directly from Amazon individually. Kindle Unlimited is no different, but for books. You don't own any of this content, it is just lent to you for the duration of an active subscription.
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Netflix, HBO, Hulu, etc all let you download movies now, but they expire unless you maintain a subscription. For example you can download songs with Spotify, but they automatically expire after 30 days unless they "phone home" to confirm you still have a subscription. This is no different than we see from any other service where you pay a monthly fee for access to content while maintaining an active subscription. The restriction from allowing the downloaded books on this service actually makes a lot more sense when you understand the service. You don't own titles through Kindle Unlimited, you are borrowing them. Because you "own" the book you buy directly. You can still download and un-DRM books that you buy individually from Amazon directly. Think of Kindle Unlimited as the book equivalent to Spotify Premium.
The article is noting that they blocked the downloading of books that use "Kindle Unlimited" which is a subscription, that runs $10 a month, for unlimited of select Kindle titles. I think its important to clarify a few things.
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