It seems that whatever changes Amazon is making to comiXology, its users aren’t pleased as evidenced in the App Store ratings in which users have started to flood the ratings with 1-star. For those unfamiliar, the changes to the comiXology app saw the removal of the in-app purchase feature from the app itself.
Instead customers had to now head on over to the comiXology website to set up an account, link it to their credit card, and purchase it via the website before downloading it onto their iPhones or iPads. This is presumably because Amazon isn’t too happy about the prospect of having to pay Apple 30% of comiXology’s in-app purchases, which is understandable.
However what Amazon seemed to fail to understand is that by removing the feature, they essentially turned the app into a glorified e-reader. Based on the comments, the changes in the new app also removed some of the more convenient features that users have come to know and love and many feel that this is actually a step backwards for comiXology, as opposed to moving forwards like they thought they would by being acquired by Amazon.
It wasn’t too long ago that the new app also saw some users missing their previous purchases and were unable to restore them. Given that comic books can get pretty expensive, some of its users have basically spent hundreds of dollars only to find their collection missing. Presumably comiXology will be able to restore them but it’s definitely not sitting well with users so far. It’s not clear if Amazon/comiXology will return the in-app purchase system, but in the meantime what do you guys think?
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