As noted last week, Apple is looking to fix the problem of offering print media on its devices. Now they’re making a push to get a new digital “iNewsstand” up and running sooner rather than later, says a report from the Wall Street Journal. But the release of the new media subscription service may be on hold until the next generation iPad becomes available by the end of the 1st quarter in 2011. The standalone application would be similar to Apple’s iBook store.
Apple has been a successful middle man with it’s iTunes Store in offering music, movies, TV shows and books. Now they’re trying their best to offer a similar service with newspaper and magazine subscriptions. Apple has had some past problems in negotiating deals with some media content providers in terms of offering single issues or monthly plans for sale as opposed to full subscriptions.
At present, Apple typically doesn’t sell subscriptions, instead offering monthly iPad editions of Wired magazine for $3.99 each, or a daily edition of Gannett Co.’s USA Today free. Subscriptions, however, are a much more important business for U.S. publishers, representing seven of every 10 newspapers and magazines sold. Publishers also mine subscriber rolls for names, email addresses, credit-card numbers and other information to help them attract advertisers and target new offers to readers.
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