Comixology has dropped its iOS app with a new version that gets rid of in-app purchases. iPhone and iPad users will have to buy comics on comixology.com and all your purchased books will be readable in the new app once you’ve downloaded it. You can browse comics in the new app and download free comics directly, but paid comics can only be added to your wish list for later purchase online. This change will save some bucks for the company, as Apple’s App Store policies demand a 30 percent share of all in-app purchases. Amazon has purchased Comixology earlier this month.
The Android app has also been updated, where the in-app purchases are now made through Comixology instead of Google Play, which will again avoid paying Google a share of its sales. To make the transition to the updated apps smooth, the company is offering $5 gift cards at the time of updation.
Comixology’s VP of Communications and Marketing, Chip Mosher’s statement about the changes in the apps:
As we move to complete the acquisition with Amazon, we are shifting to the web-based purchasing model they’ve successfully used with the Kindle, which we expect will allow us to strike the best balance between prices, selection and customer experience.
There are many advantages to shopping at comiXology.com. Because of the content restrictions our mobile partners have, shopping on the web provides even greater selection of comic books and graphic novels. iOS customers will now be able to save money with comiXology’s exclusive web-only Bundles, take advantage of Subscription features and enjoy eGift Cards. We also made our website more tablet/mobile friendly on all devices to make the purchasing process that much easier. And in Safari on iOS, customers can easily save a shortcut to our webstore with the “Add to Home Screen” feature.
In the new Android 3.6 upgrade we have a new comiXology in-app purchase system and a great new shopping cart, one of our most requested features. In the new app, customers may be prompted to update your payment information to continue purchasing books. This is a one-time action after which you can purchase inside the app.
SOURCE: Comixology
