'Hulu for magazines' to debut on Android as publishers struggle with Apple
Publishers' continued frustration with Apple has apparently led a new joint venture from major magazines to debut on Google's Android platform in early 2011, rather than on iOS devices.
Next Issue Media, the magazine consortium that plans to open a digital storefront early next year, will launch on devices running Google's Android mobile operating system, CEO Morgan Guenther told MediaMemo. He added that his company is "ready to support Apple," and it's not technical limitations keeping the platform dubbed a "Hulu for magazines" from the iPad.
"Guenther wouldn't disclose other details about his launch, but you don't have to squint to read between the lines here," Peter Kafka wrote. "The takeaway is that Google has been flexible on the business issues that are important to the publishers that own his company. And that Apple's not there yet."
Publishers continue to struggle with Apple, as the company is not willing to allow publications to access users' personal information. However, the print business relies on demographic information to share data about readers with advertisers.
In September, it was rumored that Apple would introduce new subscription plans for content on the iPad, allowing customers to opt in and grant content providers the ability to share their personal information. Another report alleged that Apple is working on a standalone digital newsstand app that would be a new storefront, like the App Store or iBooks, that would be home to newspapers and magazines.
But for now, content providers who create applications for the iPad are restricted. For example, Kafka noted, when readers subscribe to Newsweek on the iPad, the publisher has "no idea who you are or how to reach you: Apple keeps all of the data, as well as 30 percent of every dollar."
Though Guenther didn't comment specifically, it was speculated that publishers with Next Issue Media are hoping that content sales on Android devices are strong enough to give them leverage in negotiations with Apple.
Publishers have struggled with Apple in bringing their content to the iPad since the device first launched in April. Initially, the Cupertino, Calif., company did not allow subscriptions to magazines through the App Store. But that impasse was broken in August, when People magazine became the first publication to offer subscribers free access to its iPad application.
Next Issue Media, the magazine consortium that plans to open a digital storefront early next year, will launch on devices running Google's Android mobile operating system, CEO Morgan Guenther told MediaMemo. He added that his company is "ready to support Apple," and it's not technical limitations keeping the platform dubbed a "Hulu for magazines" from the iPad.
"Guenther wouldn't disclose other details about his launch, but you don't have to squint to read between the lines here," Peter Kafka wrote. "The takeaway is that Google has been flexible on the business issues that are important to the publishers that own his company. And that Apple's not there yet."
Publishers continue to struggle with Apple, as the company is not willing to allow publications to access users' personal information. However, the print business relies on demographic information to share data about readers with advertisers.
In September, it was rumored that Apple would introduce new subscription plans for content on the iPad, allowing customers to opt in and grant content providers the ability to share their personal information. Another report alleged that Apple is working on a standalone digital newsstand app that would be a new storefront, like the App Store or iBooks, that would be home to newspapers and magazines.
But for now, content providers who create applications for the iPad are restricted. For example, Kafka noted, when readers subscribe to Newsweek on the iPad, the publisher has "no idea who you are or how to reach you: Apple keeps all of the data, as well as 30 percent of every dollar."
Though Guenther didn't comment specifically, it was speculated that publishers with Next Issue Media are hoping that content sales on Android devices are strong enough to give them leverage in negotiations with Apple.
Publishers have struggled with Apple in bringing their content to the iPad since the device first launched in April. Initially, the Cupertino, Calif., company did not allow subscriptions to magazines through the App Store. But that impasse was broken in August, when People magazine became the first publication to offer subscribers free access to its iPad application.
Comments
Next Issue Media, the magazine consortium that plans to open a digital storefront early next year
What's the point? Zinio is available today globally for iOS, Android, OS/X, Linux and Windows.
"Publishers continue to struggle with Apple, as the company is not willing to allow publications to access users' personal information. However, the print business relies on demographic information to share data about readers with advertisers."
I.E. Google has no problems giving anyone that asks all your personal information but Apple does and this is somehow contorted to Apple being too controlling - really??
when readers subscribe to Newsweek on the iPad, the publisher has "no idea who you are or how to reach you
And that's just the way I like it so I am sticking with apple's model. I'm gonna get the content I really want one way or the other and if providers can't figure that out and collect their pennies per view/read, they'd better start bribing congress critters for tarp money now because they'll be going out of business soon enough.
Google could careless about privacy. They'll roll over and lick a you know what for that dollar. So I'm not at all surprised by this.
And as the Android tablets mature onto the market those ads will be as intrusive as what goes on on our pc. Dimming of an article we're reading as advertisements for some antidepressant pops open. I effing hate that. And of course it will take a million clicks on the x to close the damn thing.
Meh!
And that's just the way I like it so I am sticking with apple's model. I'm gonna get the content I really want one way or the other and if providers can't figure that out and collect their pennies per view/read, they'd better start bribing congress critters for tarp money now because they'll be going out of business soon enough.
Hallelujah! Praise the lawld. He says ith and so does it happenith!
Thundercats! HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
It's all about the dollar. If Apple keeps a majority position in the tablet market the loss of potential revenue for publishers will equal what thy hope to gain by holding out, and at that point some struggling publisher will break ranks.
Publishers' continued frustration with Apple has apparently led a new joint venture from major magazines to debut on Google's Android platform in early 2011, rather than on iOS devices.
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Are the magazine publishers as stupid as the record company executives?
Here's hoping the iPad manages to hold its dominance long enough to make publishers blink.
It's all about the dollar. If Apple keeps a majority position in the tablet market the loss of potential revenue for publishers will equal what thy hope to gain by holding out, and at that point some struggling publisher will break ranks.
If only these publishers could see what a killing they could make by actually playing ball with Apple. Customers would be happy, Apple would sell sacks of iPads and the publishers would be laughing all the way to the bank.
Oh well, dreams are free. Unfortunately for the publishers, so are PDFs on the net.
...and no, I do not have an iPad or a desire to obtain/read PDF books on my Mac.
What's the point? Zinio is available today globally for iOS, Android, OS/X, Linux and Windows.
Zinio is a piece of crap.
I don't know what you guys are on apart from Steve Jobs' koolaid. Zinio serves all platforms and naturally publishers will prefer a cross-platform solution to hedge their bets.
The Zinio "experience" for reading magazines on the iPhone and iPad is like wiping after number 2 with a wire brush. The best magazine apps by far so far on the iPad are the ones developed using Adobe InDesign: like The New Yorker etc. The UI, speed of the app, download size and experience is by far the best, and that's nothing to do with the 'koolaid', as you put it.
Fact of the matter is that Zinio is here today and available globally on all major platforms. This vapourware next issue media sounds to me like an also-ran before it got started. And all the iOs-specific applications are all very nice eye candy but they are too locked up in Apple's ecosphere for me to care to waste subscription money on.
Zinio is a piece of crap.
What is Zinio anyway? Sounds like that old Zune MP3 player that bombed years ago.
But for now, content providers who create applications for the iPad are restricted. For example, Kafka noted, when readers subscribe to Newsweek on the iPad, the publisher has "no idea who you are or how to reach you: Apple keeps all of the data...
Are you kidding me?!? Is it a PROBLEM that publishers can't get my personal info? How do they get my personal info when I buy a magazine at a news stand? That seems to be working for them w/o getting my demographics.
I develop for both iOS and android, and I really don't have a horse in this race, but for publishers to act as though consumers are missing out because apple won't dish out personal info to help drive adverts is simply ludicrous!
Zinio is a piece of crap.
Years ago I used to get free magazines on Zinio, as some sort of a free trial or market test or something. I even still have my custom [email protected] email address, and I still get occasion junk mail on it. I subscribed to a few different magazines, but I found that I didn't read them there, so I kind of dropped the whole thing.
I think that a good magazine reader for a pocketable tablet would be great. But it would have to somehow be MUCH better than available webpages to justify any sort of cash outlay. These days, magazines are several days or weeks or months behind the times. Web pages get updated continually. I used to read lots of magazines, and I still enjoy them. But usually, I am familiar with the topic already, having seen it on the 'web previously.
What is Zinio anyway? Sounds like that old Zune MP3 player that bombed years ago.
www.google.com
Are the magazine publishers as stupid as the record company executives?
...yes.
It's all about greeeeeeed my friend.
Apple, or anybody really, could develop a device that can turn crap into gold blocks, and these greedy corps., will cling to their current paradigm's in hopes that they too can develop such a device on their own and reap all of the benefits.
Greed at this point, is stifling technology, not Apple, their policies, or their 'closed' devices.
Then you got all of the other 'open' platforms that cater to the greed, so they too can cash in, and give us tech-geeks 2nd rate software.
Here's hoping the iPad manages to hold its dominance long enough to make publishers blink.
It's all about the dollar. If Apple keeps a majority position in the tablet market the loss of potential revenue for publishers will equal what thy hope to gain by holding out, and at that point some struggling publisher will break ranks.
If only these publishers could see what a killing they could make by actually playing ball with Apple. Customers would be happy, Apple would sell sacks of iPads and the publishers would be laughing all the way to the bank.
Oh well, dreams are free. Unfortunately for the publishers, so are PDFs on the net.
...and no, I do not have an iPad or a desire to obtain/read PDF books on my Mac.
But would they "make a killing"? I'm not saying magazines should have our names, phone numbers, etc. But advertisers pay top dollar to be able focus their ads. Basic demographics are needed to do that. If you subscribe to any mags via mail, you are already giving publishers that basic info. Are you watching Hulu? Guess, what they know where you are when you are watching it (and probably a lot more).
If advertising revenue drops dramatically because the publisher can't tell the potential ad purchaser, "our magazine is popular with females and we have strong sales in the East which is your primary target audience", will revenue from Apple make up for that?
I don't know. And I suspect neither does anyone else here. Do we know what data the publishers are asking for that Apple is refusing to share. Is it our names, or just the very basic of info like what regions the publication sells best in? And is Apple really withholding that data to "protect our privacy" or because they want to leverage it for their own business purposes? It may be that Apple is afraid the data will tell too much of their own iOS customer base that they don't want their device competitors getting ahold of the data.