Kobo closes iOS sales, makes new brick-and-mortar deal

It's been a big day for ebook and e-reader seller Kobo, which has announced the closure of ebook sales via iOS apps, as well as a new partnership with bookseller Collins.

The closure of iOS in-app sales for Kobo follows the closure of in-app sales for Nook Kids and the complete removal of the Google Books iOS app, both in the US. These sellers seem to be the first casualties of Apple's new sale restrictions, forcing sellers to give Apple a 30 per cent cut of all sales, brought to light by the closure of iFlow in May. The deadline for apps to comply with Apple's new guidelines was 30 June.

Kobo app users, however, will still be able to purchase their ebooks online from Kobobooks.com and sync their purchases to their app — and BlackBerry and Android users will still be able to purchase books in-app.

Following the closure of all brick-and-mortar Borders stores, Kobo has now made a new partnership in Australia — with locally owned bookseller Collins. This move, claims Kobo, will also extend its reach into less densely populated areas, where Borders and Angus and Robertson stores hadn't been established.

From some time in September, customers will be able to buy Kobo e-readers from Collins bookstores, as well as ebooks from the Collins online store.

The deal with Kobo comes after the news a fortnight ago that Collins had bought up a number of Angus & Robertson stores from owner REDgroup Retail, expanding the number of Collins stores Australia-wide.

However, Kobo tells us that the online partnership with Borders will also remain in place for the time being, with visitors to the Borders Australian online store remaining in the Borders site to complete their purchases, and Borders and Kobo accounts remaining separate.