55% of MSRP, which in practice is around 30% of what Amazon actually charges since things seem to be perpetually on sale for 20-30%. More significantly, Amazon stores your stuff in warehouses and covers the costs associated with shipping the product to customers, which is significantly more expensive than storing some files in a data center.

Isn't this comparing physical sales on Amazon's side with electronic sales on Apple's side?

I think my biggest gripe with the App Store is that there is no alternative. If I want to develop an app for an iPhone I'm locked in to their system.

If I want to publish a book, I have a variety of options, both in the physical and online realm.

Jobs tried to get you to make HTML5 apps for the iPhone. He even gave you nice ways to install them with their own icon and run them offline. But nooooooo, you're having none of it. No HTML5 installable apps with access to native APIs for you. You prefer to insist there's no alternative...

http://sixrevisions.com/web-development/html5-iphone-app/

> By taking Less?

Of a completely different item.

There is a big difference between delivering physical vs digital goods.

Excuse me if I'm incorrect here, but I believe the "Apple tax" refers to the markup on Apple hardware. That is, if you were to buy the same parts separately for a Windows machine it would be far cheaper.

Have you heard of a little cash-calf called the "app store"? that's what is being referred to here.

Yes of course, but I believe the term "Apple tax" refers specifically to markup on Apple hardware. That's all.

> and has control over the actual price its sold at.

It does, but the 45% for the author comes from the price that was set by the author. Any discount is taken from the 55% amazon would get.

Both strategies have pros and cons, but you're comparing a marketplace and a retailer here, which function differently in many ways.