Apple ITunes supports manga piracy!!

Over the past six months or so we’ve heard more and more about publishers targeting sites like MangaFox to get their licensed materials removed. Well, now we have a new contender In the illegal distribution field, Apple’s ITunes.

There is a new for sale app aimed at the iPhone and iPod called MangaShelf. It’s a application that gives you access to MangaFox, Manga Volume and Manga Toshokan, arguably three of the largest illegal sites still alive.

What’s more apple sees nothing wrong with this, which I find laughable. They go nuts over an adult orientated app, which is legally made and owned, but find an app promoting piracy perfectly fine. I emailed Apple to try and get an official comment, but I haven’t heard anything back as of yet.

I also found this funny since Apple are one of the most vocal anti-piracy companies around, though it seems to be only if it applies to their own material. I’ll update this post when I hear back from both Apple, and from the creators of the App (who, like Apple haven’t replied as of yet).

Description of MangaShelf (as it is on the iTunes Store)

Mangashelf is the premier Manga reader for the iPhone and iPod touch.

Manga are japanese comic books or graphic novels. With their distinct style and diverse set of genres, Manga appeals to all ages and genders, with readers across the globe. Mangashelf utilizes the popular bookshelf and catalog design pattern, to make finding and reading Mangas, simple, and intuitive.

First, browse or search through 1000+ Manga from popular Manga websites such as Manga Fox, Manga Volume, and Manga Toshokan. Second, add anything you like to your shelf, and start reading immediately. As you read a chapter, it is automatically downloaded to your iPhone or iPod touch, allowing for reading even when no internet connection is available. Finally, move through pages with a swipe or drag gesture, for a smooth reading experience, in either landscape or portrait orientation.

Features:

– Read 1000+ Manga from Manga Fox, Manga Volume, and Manga Toshokan.

– Browse for Manga by site and category.

– Search for Manga by name, artist, or author.

– Automatically download chapters while reading for offline viewing.

– Reader settings to lock orientation, and set page margins.

– App settings to change color schemes for a customized look and feel.

Note: All Manga content is provided by Manga Fox (http://www.mangafox.com), Manga Volume (http://www.mangavolume.com), and Manga Toshokan (http://www.mangatoshokan.com). Users should abide by each site’s respective terms of use, available on each individual website for reference. No Manga content is stored on Mangashelf servers. Mangashelf solely provides a custom user interface for viewing content served from the aforementioned Manga websites on your device.

Author: Ryu Sheng