Barnes & Noble has updated its Nook app for iPhone and iPad with a new "buy on BN.com" button that redirects users to the company's website to complete e-book and audiobook purchases (via GoodReader).
The button appears alongside book listings and opens the user's default browser to the corresponding product page on Barnes & Noble's website. After completing the purchase, content automatically syncs to the Nook app and any connected Nook devices.
Previously, iOS users had no clear path to purchase books through the app, often leaving customers confused about how to buy content. The new system mirrors recent updates to Amazon's Kindle app and Spotify, which added similar external purchase options.
The changes stem from a court ruling in the ongoing litigation between Epic Games and Apple. In April, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers issued a contempt order prohibiting Apple from blocking external purchase links or imposing commissions on them.
For over a decade, Apple's App Store guidelines required developers to either use Apple's in-app purchase system with a 30% commission or remove any links directing users to alternative payment methods.
The ruling has enabled e-reader apps to offer more intuitive purchasing experiences, with Kobo also implementing similar functionality.
