Much has been said in about Apple’s new App Store Subscription policy which essentially says that apps can no longer link to external web sites to buy content or subscriptions. All subscriptions/content must be able to be purchased in the app, with developers and publishers required to offer in app prices that are the same or better than deals available outside the app… like on content providers’ web sites, for example.

Content publishers are crying foul, and most everyone seems to agree. Terms like “big brother” and “1984” are being bandied about with fervent anger.

But the issue is: they’re all wrong and Apple is actually right on this one.

Apple is in the business of making money, and is looking to make the App store and app experience a cohesive experience.

Of course, since the newspapers and magazines have long wanted to provide subscriptions—and they can swing the news a bit—they’re crowing about how unfair this is in their respective media outlets.

Let’s not pretend that magazines and newspapers aren’t trying to cash in both ways on the App Store. They want to get into the marketplace and have Apple handle: app hosting, app delivery, showcase to millions of eyeballs, and most likely new customers, and not pay a dime for it aside from the $100 a year developer price.

Apple is targeting a unified experience wherein users don’t have to login into a different web site for every different app, with different login credentials for each service to subscribe or purchase content. That’s a big fragmented market mess that even I don’t want to be part of.

Apple is also saying if—and that’s a big “if”—the customer subscribes via the app, Apple gets their cut. They’re not saying users can only subscribe via the app, but that the app must also have a subscription or in app purchase method from the content provider that doesn’t gouge the App Store users; it has to be at the standard price. Article Continues…