... protect their copyrights (or the copyrights of their authors and/or publishers), they WILL NOT use EPUB. Nor will they use any other open format which will permit unlimited reproduction and distribution of content.
Putting DRM on an open format just defeats the purpose of the open format because DRM keeps you from porting the content to an "unapproved" device.
It really doesn't matter if Kindle accepts the open EPUB format or not if no one makes protected content in that format. You can talk about open standards all that you want but most vendors do not create content in those standards specifically BECAUSE they are so portable.
It's the defacto standard that really matter. You know the ones - they are standards merely because that is what most people use TODAY. Whichever vendor ends up dominating the market will be the one using the "standard".
The nearest thing that we have to a standard today is PDF and that is only because Adobe has ported readers to every OS platform that matters. Free "virtual" PDF printers will convert any other printable format into PDF. Despite its inefficiencies, PDF is exceedingly versitile.
Kindle included PDF because they HAD TO. Their own format was derived from the MOBIpocket format - which originated with geeky PDA-based e-readers.
Whomever wins the e-Reader wars will define the 'standard'. My money is on the Kindle.
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