http://blogs.zdnet.com/perlow/?p=12357

You can't read that on our iPad, it would be tainted!

Apple have a "regional content" clause in the T&Cs they make with content providers. If they think that a book (or film?) is unsuitable for a puritan, they will stop you viewing it, even if you have already paid for it (for example a Kindle book)...

Well a great excuse not to buy books to download. I will stick with the high carbon versions (paper)

Scan them and make your own eBook.

I really can't understand what Apple is thinking. If the book can be purchased legally in the country where the iPad is registered, what right does Apple have to refuse you downloading content you've already paid for?

This seems totally bonkers.

It's an interesting issue. We have (for example) no age ratings on books but we do on other media. A book which a 12 year old can buy can be turned into an 18 rated film which they could not watch. It would be a stretch to suggest an eBook is a different form of media to a paper book though.

At the end of the day, Apple (like any other shopkeeper) have the right to decide what goods they sell. The issue in fact is if there was no option to go to someone else's shop to buy an eBook that Apple refuse to sell to you. If the particular eBook is available as DRM-free ePub, it could still be bought from another vender and read on an iPad via iBooks. Given there apparently will be 'Kindle for iPad' and 'Nook for iPad' apps as well with access to the media in their relevant online shops, it seems more than likely to me that you will be able to read any media legally available to you on an iPad, even if Apple prudishly refuse to sell it to you.

From what I've read Apple will not only remove content they see unfit from not their own eBook app (fair enough) but from the third party iPad apps such as Kindle (wtf).

It's what they are calling Regional Content Review and all iPad suppliers have to sign up to it.

All in Dave's link.

Except that's not what's happening. This is like Sony applying restrictions on which DVDs you can play through it's Bravia television, even though the DVD was bought from HMV.

Yep, if they don't like the title, you won't be able to download your bought-and-paid-for Kindle eBook to the iPad Kindle App, for example, or Stanza or Barnes & Noble app etc.

Hmm. I think the chances of that actually being enforced are next to nil. Given the problems they are having simply processing app submissions and they have to now process submissions to the iBooks store as well do you really think they're going to have the manpower to keep up with what Amazon and B&N are putting on their stores at the same time?