Apple Squeeze on eBooks?

With the huge popularity of the iPad, not least as a book reading device, it seems that Apple are now looking to put the squeeze on their competitors by restricting eBook sales that don't go through their own store:

Buzz began Tuesday morning when The New York Times said that Sony’s e-reader app had been rejected, citing Apple’s restriction on in-app book purchases. This in itself was not a new policy — Apple doesn’t allow apps to sell content to users unless that content passes through the official Apple ecosystem, where Apple gets a 30 percent cut.

Apple also allegedly told Sony that the app couldn’t access content purchased on other Sony Reader devices, which is where most of the outrage was focused. Amazon’s Kindle app and Barnes & Noble’s Nook app are both popular mechanisms for users to download and read books that they have purchased from the respective stores. Many feared that this supposed change in Apple policy would take their e-books away from their iPads, iPhones and iPod touches.

Apple’s second statement indicates that this is indeed the case — sort of. If an app lets users access content that they purchased via Amazon’s website, for example, then that same app must also let users buy the same book via Apple’s own in-app purchase system. If the app developer doesn’t want to use Apple’s in-app purchases to sell content, then the app can’t access content purchased elsewhere either.

This is notable because it will require Amazon and Barnes & Noble (as well as Sony, whose iOS app is not yet available) to change how their offerings work. Apple wants its 30 percent share of content sales whenever possible.

Wonder if the new Android 3.0 tablets could put a dent in Apple's plans though, if they provide a more open system for users to access books?