I see apple as like LVMH, but for phones. It has a minority of overall sales, but a majority of the “luxury” part of the market. This gives them influence over the whole market, but not a real monopoly.
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How unchivalrous of them.
I have no earthly idea what Apple has done to earn 30% of the sale of an eBook by Amazon for the Kindle.
I have no idea if the cut is 30%, but that's the same cut that Amazon takes from an author when they sell a Kindle eBook (and sometimes that goes as high as 70%). What on earth did Amazon do to earn that much of an author's sale...
I have little sympathy for Amazon, the largest retailer in the world, trying to play in someone else's playground. You can buy directly from your Kindle if you really have to have that browse-and-buy experience, but the iPhone app really is more convenient, isn't it?
About as hard as opening a new phone network rivaling ATT back in the days, apparently.
If neither Amazon nor Microsoft couldn't do it you know it's not a matter of money and willingness to do it.
If you're referring to the Nokia acquisition, it was way past prime and relevance, at a time when Chinese makers were already on the rise.