iPad news apps mushroom everywhere
Jinfo Blog

30th November 2010

By Penny Crossland

Item

While we wait for the launch of NewsCorp’s iPad newspaper, 'The Daily' in early December, there are plenty of other iPad publications in the form of newspapers and magazines to learn about in the mean time. Buoyed by the uptake of The Times on the Ipad, while predictably loosing more than 90% of his online audience after introducing a paywall to the Times site, Rupert Murdoch famously referred to the e-reader as a 'game changer' for the publishing industry. (see http://www.vivavip.com/go/e27924,http://www.vivavip.com/go/e30216 and http://www.vivavip.com/go/e28520 for Livewire postings on the topic). With some research companies predicting 40 million iPads in use by the end of 2011, (http://digbig.com/5bdagq) , it is no wonder that embattled print publishers are turning to digital devices to boost revenues. Serial entrepreneur Richard Branson has pipped Rupert Murdoch to the post by launching his iPad magazine called Project today. Aimed at readers in the creative industries, the digital magazine will focus on 'technology, entrepreneurs, design and entertainment' (http://digbig.com/5bdagp). According to PC World, although the cover resembles that of a print magazine, the new publication makes the most of the iPad’s functionality by enabling reader interaction whenever possible. Rather less flamboyantly, Bonnier, the Swedish media company last week launched their News+ product, an iPad newspaper promising an experience 'completely different from print and web' and a 'less hectic news experience' than that found online. (http://digbig.com/5bdagn) News+ will initially be applied to Bonnier’s Dagens Nyheter newspaper before being rolled out to business titles Industri and Barsen, based in Sweden and Denmark respectively. The app will allow readers to share articles via social networks and engage with editors and other readers. The newspaper app follows Mag+, a magazine app launched in 2009 which is used for several of Bonnier’s magazine titles. Elsewhere in Europe, Paris-based International Herald Tribune, owned by the New York Times has also produced an iPad app which, for now, is free to readers. As paidcontent reports (http://digbig.com/5bdagm), free access will change once the New York Times starts charging for its content in the New Year. No doubt there will be many more newspaper and magazine publishers jumping on the iPad bandwagon, with various subscription models. To view a demonstration of Bonnier’s News+, see this Video: http://vimeo.com/17148059

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