I guess this is the week for partner conflict. With Samsung, and HTC still reeling from Google’s announcement that they are getting into the mobile phone manufacturing business (discussion here), Amazon has now announced it is stepping up its nascent publishing efforts and going to war with the traditional publishers who have feed its business for so long. Amazon has signed on to be the direct publisher of Timothy Ferriss, author famous for his series of “4 Hour” titles. The NYT had a great article on this and my four favorite quotes are set out below.
The opportunity to partner with a technology company that is embracing publishing is very different than partnering with a publisher embracing technology.
Amazon has a one-to-one relationship with every one of their customers. You can just imagine the possibilities that opens up.
Mr. Ferriss said he had approached Amazon about a book deal. Crown did not get a chance to match the offer because in the writer’s view, it never could have.
Victoria Barnsley, chief executive of HarperCollins UK, told the BBC this week thatAmazon’s foray into book publishing ‘is obviously a concern.’
Like all disintermediation plays, this trend will be very interesting to watch.
Speak Your Mind