Hearst reaches deal with Apple to offer iPad in app subscriptions by July
Hearst Corp, the publisher of the San Francisco Chronicle and a wide variety of other newspapers and magazines, has agreed to bring its content to the iPad via in app subscriptions.
The announcement, reported by the Wall Street Journal, notes that Hearst will initially make three of its iPad magazines available via in app subscriptions starting in July : Esquire, Popular Mechanics and O, The Oprah Magazine.
The magazines will be priced at $1.99 per monthly issue or $19.99 for a year long subscription. Hearst said it plans to follow its initial offerings with subscription newspaper apps and other content.
A variety of publishers initially expressed disappointment with Apple's subscription terms for iPad in app content, ostensibly because Apple sought to charge the same 30 percent cut for subscriptions that it charges for other App Store sales.
However, among publishers the major complaint has been that Apple has insisted upon allowing users to opt out of sending their valuable demographic information to publishers when they subscribe.
The report noted that "Over the course of recent talks with Apple, however, publishers have become more comfortable with the terms under which their titles will be sold in the App Store, according to people familiar with the talks."
Apple has recently added a variety of significant publishers to its in app subscription program, including the new Blooomberg BusinessWeek and a variety of magazines by Time Warner.
Time Warner recently reached a deal with Apple to allow its print subscribers to obtain iPad editions without paying for them separately, indicating that both sides are making concessions aimed at getting content to the audience of iPad users.
The announcement, reported by the Wall Street Journal, notes that Hearst will initially make three of its iPad magazines available via in app subscriptions starting in July : Esquire, Popular Mechanics and O, The Oprah Magazine.
The magazines will be priced at $1.99 per monthly issue or $19.99 for a year long subscription. Hearst said it plans to follow its initial offerings with subscription newspaper apps and other content.
A variety of publishers initially expressed disappointment with Apple's subscription terms for iPad in app content, ostensibly because Apple sought to charge the same 30 percent cut for subscriptions that it charges for other App Store sales.
However, among publishers the major complaint has been that Apple has insisted upon allowing users to opt out of sending their valuable demographic information to publishers when they subscribe.
The report noted that "Over the course of recent talks with Apple, however, publishers have become more comfortable with the terms under which their titles will be sold in the App Store, according to people familiar with the talks."
Apple has recently added a variety of significant publishers to its in app subscription program, including the new Blooomberg BusinessWeek and a variety of magazines by Time Warner.
Time Warner recently reached a deal with Apple to allow its print subscribers to obtain iPad editions without paying for them separately, indicating that both sides are making concessions aimed at getting content to the audience of iPad users.
Comments
I have the Esquire subscription on my Zinio app, and have a year subscription for $8
Bummer that Apple has to do all the heavy lifting in changing the subscription market, then Android tablets will come along and reap the benefit of Apple's toil. I guess that's the price you pay for leading.
Apple have paid a heavy price for leading since about 1979 but it's nice to see that finally, they not only lead, but rule!
I can't remenber, was it June? Zinio will probably have to raise their prices...
How long before Apple cuts all stores that are not using in-app purchasing if they not follow their rules?
I can't remenber, was it June? Zinio will probably have to raise their prices...
By June 30.
I hope that the handful of announcements over the last few weeks -- Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Time, Hearst -- means that Apple has loosened up a bit on providing basic subscriber demographics to the publishers and that most of the major magazines will be on board within the next few months. It sounds like subscriber data has been a bigger sticking point than the percentage Apple is taking on the subscription.
I have no problem with Apple sharing demographic data like a subscriber's age and zip code with publishers if that means I don't have to look at ads for denture cream when I'm reading the Time Magazine app.