APPLE CHANGES POLICY ON IN-APP SUBSCRIPTION PRICES

It looks like Apple has decided to make some pretty major changes to its App Store Review Guidelines and, in particular, to its controversial in-app subscription policy. Under the new guidelines, publishers will be able to offer subscriptions to content outside of the App Store, as long as their apps don't include a "buy" button that directs users away from Apple's marketplace.

Under the previous version of the policy, which was set to go into effect at the end of this month, app owners offering subscriptions outside of App Store were required to sell equivalent, in-app services at the "same price or less than it is offered outside the app," while giving a 30 percent cut to Cupertino.

Now, however, they can price these in-app subscriptions as they see fit, or circumvent the system altogether, by exclusively selling them outside of their apps. Apple will still receive 30 percent of the revenue generated from in-app subscriptions, but won't get any money from purchases made outside of its domain. Theoretically, then, publishers would be able to offer in-app subscriptions at higher prices, in order to offset Apple's share.

LEAK: GOOGLE CHROME NOTEBOOKS COMING IN JUNE/JULY

Neowin has confirmed from a reliable source that the Google Chrome OS based notebooks will be available for "purchase" in late June/early July. The search giant also is planning on using an unconventional form of distribution to customers. Google will be selling the devices as part of a subscription based model with Gmail to customers. It's not clear if this applies to mainstream Gmail.com users, or to Google Apps premier customers.

According to our source, Google plans to make the notebooks available for $10-$20 a month per user, and will provide hardware refreshes as they are released as part of the package, and will replace faulty hardware for the life of the subscription. On top of this, Google will make the devices available for a one time payment as a normal retailer would, but is likely to not distribute the devices directly. Instead, the company will distribute them in a fashion similar to the way Android is distributed.

GOOGLE ANNOUNCES ONLINE PAYMENT SYSTEM - ONE PASS

Not to be outdone by Apple's announcement yesterday of their subscription payment system, Google has unveiled one of their own. The PR-speak promises "an open and flexible platform" for "publishers, journalism and access to quality content." In a nutshell it is a user authentication, payment processing, and administration system for folks who want to sell content on the web. Google only takes ten percent off the top (compared to Apple's thirty percent), and you even get access to consumer data -- something Apple is unwilling to do. Check out the video below. [Engadget]

APPLE OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES APP STORE SUBSCRIPTIONS

In a press release Apple announced that its App Store would make the subscription service available to all app publishers, just like it was on The Daily (the iPad only newspaper/magazine Rupert Murdoch just launched).

The service seems pretty simple from the buyer side–you download the app you want and then within the app you can sign up for a subscription. The publisher sets the price and length, and then you are automatically charged prior to each period. It’s just like a magazine subscription, though it should be a whole lot easier to cancel. Apple is giving customers a spot in their account page where they can manage subscriptions so you aren’t paying for anything you don’t want.

Interestingly, the release notes that “Publishers who use Apple’s subscription service in their app can also leverage other methods for acquiring digital subscribers outside of the app,” which means that publishers with existing businesses (think magazines and newspapers) can use their systems, they just need to get the publication in sync with their apps. Also, they won’t be able to offer any specials deals there that are not available in the app. So Apple is being somewhat flexible here, but they are not going to allow increased pricing when a publisher has to pay the rev share. [Geek]

HP PRESS EVENT ROUND-UP; VEER, TOUCHPAD AND PRE3

Below is a roundup of HP's press event today. One notable abscense from the event was Palm, which HP acquired fairly recently. Has HP killed the Palm name? Possibly for now anyway.

HP VEER
The very first webOS-based device to bear the HP name alone without Palm's alongside packing Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7230 processor at 800MHz. Other headline specs include a 2.6-inch 320 x 400 display, 5 megapixel EDoF camera, HSPA+ support, 8GB of storage, an accelerometer, proximity and light sensors (as usual), Touchstone compatibility, and mobile hotspot support. Keyboard usability will be a big question that we'll need to have answered when the phone is released this spring. No word on carriers yet, and pricing is set to be decided upon "at a later date."

HP PRE3
Here's to a decidedly Palm-less round three. The QWERTY slider with the all-too-familiar form factor has a 3.6-inch 800 x 480 display (a marked improvement over past Pres), 5 megapixel camera with AF and LED flash, 720p HD video, a front-facing camera for video calling, mobile hotspot, and webOS 2.2. Under the hood? A Qualcomm MSM 8x55 CPU running at 1.4GHz (!), 802.11a/b/g/n 5GHz, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, A-GPS, a 1230 mAh battery, HSPA+ and EVDO Rev A -- yep, it's a world phone -- and the same RAM as the Pre 2 (that's 512MB DRAM). It'll be Touchstone compatible, naturally, and will switch to Exhibition mode when docked to show pictures and upcoming appointments. There's some interesting synergy going on where the TouchPad tablet can take Pre 3's phone calls, and just touching the two devices together will let you share URLs (aptly titled touch-to-share). This one's gonna keep you waiting, though -- availability is this summer with both 8GB and 16GB storage options.

TOUCHPAD
the TouchPad (previously known by Topaz) is shaped almost exactly like the iPad. It tips the scales at 1.6 pounds and measures 13.7mm thick, which is somewhat of a downer for those already put off by the heft found in Apple's slate. As we'd heard last month, HP's shipping this one with its own Beats audio engine, Touch-to-Share (a feature that lets users easily transfer a website, document, song, text or call from the phone to the tablet -- or vice versa -- simply by tapping the two devices together) and a huge reliance on the cloud. Also of note, Jon just mentioned that this is only the "first in the webOS TouchPad family," hinting that the Opal may be just around the bend.

Other specifications include webOS 3.0, "true multitasking," Touch-to-share, instant-on productivity, a 9.7-inch display (1024 x 768 screen resolution), a dual-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon CPU (!), inbuilt gyroscope, accelerometer, compass and 16GB / 32GB of internal storage space. There's also a front-facing 1.3 megapixel webcam, support for video calling, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, A-GPS (3G model only), "twice the memory of a Pre 2" and a set of stereo speakers. Rubenstein claims that this here tablet is "screaming fast," and the software UI we're seeing looks downright luscious. There's a new paneled email application a Growl-like pop-up notification system, support for Skype calling, compatibility with Amazon's Kindle e-book store, plenty of cal / email integration courtesy of HP Synergy, a slick virtual keyboard, VPN support, wireless printing as well as Google Docs, QuickOffice, Dropbox and Box.net compatibility. One of the killer features that can't be found on a competing tablet right now is this one's ability to talk to the Pre 3 -- so long as there's a Touchstone involved, one can have their Pre 3 and TouchPad communicate, even piping over notifications and texts from the phone onto the slate. It's a brilliant idea, and we're obviously amped to see just how well it's implemented.

OTHER NOTES
HP confirmed it has teamed up with Time, Inc to offer subscriptions to some of its magazines on the TouchPad when it launches this summer. That will apparently include Sports Illustrated, Time and People initially, with Fortune and other Time Inc. titles to follow further on down the road, according to AdWeek. Still no word on pricing, but HP promises they'll deliver an "immersive reading" experience.

HP's decided to end its fireworks-rich presentation on a gorgeous bombshell: webOS is coming to PCs! The company says it's thinking beyond today and intends to take webOS to "other connected devices, including printers, and some form factors you haven't seen before." Aside from the groundbreaking discovery that our next LaserJet might run the same code as the dashing new TouchPad, there are few specifics to be learned, but HP promises to share further details as the year goes on.

AMAZON BUYS UK MOVIE STREAMING/RENTAL SERVICE LOVEFILM

Amazon has just announced it has agreed terms to buy up all the remaining shares of Lovefilm it didn't already own. The British outfit operates a subscription-based movie rental and streaming service in its home market along with Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway, and should give Amazon a very solid base from which to build its presumably Netflix-besting ambitions. Lovefilm has been just about the closest thing Europe has had to the ridiculously successful North American movie distributor and Amazon is arguably getting in just in time, given Netflix's overtures toward expanding into the UK. Customary closing conditions will need to be met before the final stamp of approval is applied, but the acquisition is expected to complete by the end of Q1 of this year.

NOKIA SHUTS DOWN OVI MUSIC UNLIMITED SERVICE

Citing lack of interest by consumers Nokia will be shutting down its Ovi Music Unlimited, aka Comes with Music, service except for in Brazil, China and South Africa. Reuters reports that the use of DRM to lock down content to less-than-cutting-edge devices was a major stumbling block in the rollout of what was originally supposed to be a major iTunes competitor. Those who are already signed up will continue to have access to their music libraries indefinitely, but won't be able to access new tracks once their current subscription expires.

HULU PLUS LEAVES BETA, AVAILABLE TO ALL WITH SUBSCRIPTION

Hulu Plus, a premium Web-based video streaming service, is now available to the public. Rob Wong, product director for Hulu Plus, made the announcement Thursday on the company’s blog, saying the service is now available without need for an invitation. Hulu provides a service that allows users to stream movies and TV episodes for free to computers. Hulu Plus, which costs $9.99 each month (there are rumors of a price drop coming soon), offers enhancements such as additional content and the ability to stream to more devices like Apple’s iPhone and the Sony PlayStation 3. Rumors suggest interest in Hulu Plus has been minimal though, thanks to widely available free content as well as subscription competition like Netflix’s Watch Instantly. Hulu claims to have had a successful closed beta period, however, and it will continue to expand the service to more devices during the current open preview period. [BGR]

NEWSPAPER SUBSCRIPTIONS COMING TO iPAD

According to The San Jose Mercury News, Apple is planning "a new subscription plan for newspapers" for iDevices to be launched soon.  The article does not state what iDevices are, but we can assume it means iPad, iPhone and possibly the iPod Touch.  The Mercury News does not cite any sources, but claims the subscription will have a similiar pay structure as the App Store where content providers get 60-70% of revenues.

The Mercury News goes on to say "The Cupertino company has agreed to provide an opt-in function for subscribers to allow Apple to share with publishers their information, which includes vital data that news organizations use to attract advertisers." [Boy Genius Report]