Skip to content. | Skip to navigation

Personal tools
Sections
You are here: Home Breaking news Brussels hails Amazon, Apple audiobooks deal

Brussels hails Amazon, Apple audiobooks deal

22 January 2017, 23:58 CET
— filed under: , ,
Brussels hails Amazon, Apple audiobooks deal

Image Audible.com

(BRUSSELS) - The European Commission welcomed Thursday an agreement to end all exclusivity obligations concerning audiobook supply and distribution between Amazon's subsidiary Audible and Apple.

The agreement between Amazon/Audible and Apple to remove the exclusivity obligations followed contacts with the Commission and the German Federal Cartel Office. It means that Audible is able to supply its downloadable audiobooks to third party platforms, that Apple can source audiobooks from alternative suppliers, and that publishers and content aggregators will be able to enter into distribution agreements directly with Apple.

Audible and Apple's iTunes store are two of the world's largest distributors of downloadable audiobooks to consumers. A subsidiary of Amazon since 2008, Audible is the world's largest seller and producer of downloadable audiobooks and other spoken-word content. Apple's iTunes store, integrated in Apple devices, allows customers to purchase and download content, including audiobooks.

On 5 January this year, Audible and Apple agreed to remove all exclusivity obligations governing the supply and distribution of audiobooks. These exclusivity obligations, which predated Amazon's acquisition of Audible in 2008, required Apple to source exclusively from Audible and Audible not to supply music digital platforms other than Apple's iTunes store.

The Commission says the removal of these exclusivity obligations will allow for further competition in a fast growing and innovative market and allow European consumers broader access to downloadable audiobooks.

The EU executive had received a complaint about the exclusivity arrangement from the German Publishers and Booksellers Association (the Boersenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels), which objected to various practices used by Audible, including its exclusive supply of audiobooks to Apple's iTunes Store. A largely similar complaint was submitted by the same association to the German Federal Cartel Office, which opened an investigation against Audible and Apple on 16 November 2015.

The Commission has closely cooperated with the German Federal Cartel Office on this matter. The German Federal Cartel Office has also welcomed the agreement between Amazon and Apple.


Document Actions

Brussels hails....

Posted by Demir Arabaci at 22 January 2017, 21:49 CET

A couple of days ago we all watched the end of an era in Washington DC, USA.

It was the end of the eight years of exhubarance, intelligence, extreme education from places like Harward and Yale and total elegance in the first family that occupied the White House since the Carters.

It has now been replaced by showmanship, bravado, hotel/casino wheeling, dealing, and speak first and think later mentality.

Don't get me wrong, despite his short comings, Donald is 1000 times better than the belligerent horsethief mick who assumed that the white house belongs to her and she could fool every body and keep her e-mails on a private server which she could later sell to the national archives for $100 Million or more.

A typical horse thief mick who discovered that the world is not as stupid as she thinks. Along with her a bunch of other micks are now licking their wounds and organizing meaningless demonstrations and accusing Donald of all kinds of crap true or false.

Bottom line is, the world of politics respectfully said farewell to the Obama family and and is anxious to see if the new comers will live up to the standards
established by the Obamas.

Speaking for myself, I can not imagine that either the Queen Elizabeth or any other head of state in Europe locking friendly arms with Mrs Trump(f). Ever.

Goodbye elegance and poise, welcome horsemanship and brovado.



Welcome Amazon, Apple audiobook agreement

Posted by UKEwan d at 25 January 2017, 06:41 CET
The companies announced their decision on 5 January after talks with the European Commission and the German Federal Cartel Office. Such curbs had prompted a complaint from the German Publishers and Booksellers Association to both regulators, triggering an investigation by the German enforcer in November 2015.

Welcome Amazon, Apple audiobook agreement

Posted by barik at 02 March 2017, 22:05 CET
It has now been replaced by showmanship, bravado, hotel/casino wheeling, dealing, and speak first and think later mentality.

nice

Posted by hotmail login at 14 May 2017, 18:48 CET
. Such curbs had prompted a complaint from the German Publishers and Booksellers Association to both regulators, triggering an investigation by the German enforcer in November 2015.