Look out Apple – Amazon is coming for your music. Yesterday, Amazon announced a newly-designed Web store for its mp3 branch, made specifically for Safari on the iPhone and iPod Touch, which offers bestseller lists, personalized recommendations and Amazon ratings – all the stuff you love from Amazon.com. By keeping purchases on the Web rather than in an app, Amazon avoids Apple’s 30% fee for in-app purchases. Thursday wasn’t altogether bad for Apple’s content, though, so don’t shed a tear for them just yet. After bashing other publications two years ago for rushing to the iPad, Rolling Stone magazine has changed its ways and has finally appeared on Apple’s Newsstand. Individual issues cost $5, while a yearly subscription is 20 bucks. The coolest part – and the one Apple is most excited about – is that issues offer direct links to the iTunes Store for music written about and reviewed in the magazine. That should serve as a nice financial pick-me-up for Apple and its slipping stock prices.
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with technology, media and marketing. Named LinkedIn’s “Top Voice in Technology,” he covers tech and business for Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN and writes a popular daily business blog. He's a bestselling author, and the creator of the popular, free online course, Generative AI for Execs. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.