iFlow Reader has issued an announcement that they are ceasing operations May 31, 2011. The company states that its demise is due to Apple’s new 30% in-app pricing policies, saying:

We absolutely do not want to do this, but Apple has made it completely impossible for anyone but Apple to make a profit selling contemporary eBooks on any iOS device. We cannot survive selling books at a loss and so we are forced to go out of business. We bet everything on Apple and iOS and then Apple killed us by changing the rules in the middle of the game. This is a very sad day for innovation on iOS in this important application category. We are a small company that thought we could build a better product. We think that we did but we are powerless against Apple’s absolute control of the iOS platform.

The announcement also gives instructions for protecting access to previously purchased books, encouraging customers to back up books to their own computers.

iFlow ended the announcement with an invitation for customers to get involved:

If you think that this move by Apple is contrary to your interests as an iOS user then we urge you to email a complaint to Apple by clicking on the link below:

Email to: Steve Jobs, Philip Schiller, and Developer Programs at Apple

Those with questions can contact the company at:  support@iflowreader.com.

(And check out the graphic on the announcement that depicts an Apple logo throwing the eReaders into the trash !)