'Subscribe with Google' attempts to simplify how web readers pay for news
Google is launching a new initiative to make it easier for users to subscribe to their favorite news sites, without leaving the service, or engaging in a lengthy sign-up process.
The new Subscribe With Google allows users to subscribe to specific news sites with their Google accounts, with Google managing the billing directly. And once users are logged in to Google they will remain logged in to all of their favorite subscription sites.
Google's Jim Albrecht, the product management director, announced the initiative in a blog post Tuesday.
Partners at launch include The New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, Gannett, McClatchy and Gatehouse Media in the U.S., as well as various other publications- Les Ochos, Fairfax Media, Le Figaro, the Financial Times, Grupo Globo, The Mainichi, La Nacion, NRC Media, Le Parisien, Reforma, la Republica and The Telegraph- in other parts of the world. Among the sites missing from the list is the paywalled Wall Street Journal.
"Paying for a subscription is a clear indication that you value and trust your subscribed publication as a source," Albrecht wrote.
The blog post paints the effort as a culmination of Google's efforts to understand its place in the news ecosystem of today, and Apple has been considering them as well. The Subscribe With Google initiative will also have Google search component.
"So we'll also highlight those sources across Google surfaces, beginning with a dedicated module on Search," said Albrecht in the blog post. "When you search for a news topic for which your subscribed publication has relevant results, we'll showcase these so they're easy for you to see and access-- without disrupting search ranking for the rest of the page."
In his recent talk at South by Southwest in Austin, Apple Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue discussed the topic at length, in talking about Apple News and the recent acquisition of Texture, which had been announced that morning. Cue made clear that Apple favors "in-depth" news, while not necessarily giving consumers the news they want.
The new Subscribe With Google allows users to subscribe to specific news sites with their Google accounts, with Google managing the billing directly. And once users are logged in to Google they will remain logged in to all of their favorite subscription sites.
Google's Jim Albrecht, the product management director, announced the initiative in a blog post Tuesday.
Partners at launch include The New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, Gannett, McClatchy and Gatehouse Media in the U.S., as well as various other publications- Les Ochos, Fairfax Media, Le Figaro, the Financial Times, Grupo Globo, The Mainichi, La Nacion, NRC Media, Le Parisien, Reforma, la Republica and The Telegraph- in other parts of the world. Among the sites missing from the list is the paywalled Wall Street Journal.
"Paying for a subscription is a clear indication that you value and trust your subscribed publication as a source," Albrecht wrote.
The blog post paints the effort as a culmination of Google's efforts to understand its place in the news ecosystem of today, and Apple has been considering them as well. The Subscribe With Google initiative will also have Google search component.
"So we'll also highlight those sources across Google surfaces, beginning with a dedicated module on Search," said Albrecht in the blog post. "When you search for a news topic for which your subscribed publication has relevant results, we'll showcase these so they're easy for you to see and access-- without disrupting search ranking for the rest of the page."
In his recent talk at South by Southwest in Austin, Apple Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue discussed the topic at length, in talking about Apple News and the recent acquisition of Texture, which had been announced that morning. Cue made clear that Apple favors "in-depth" news, while not necessarily giving consumers the news they want.
Comments
If Apple has an alternative thats where I'm headed.
I think I’m old fashioned
If I buy a magazine or subscribe to the NYT, it comes with the ads that are targeted to the people who are attracted to buy that magazine/paper and read its content. They might sell their subscription list to others but they can't spy on me and know which articles I read and which ads (if any), that I might be drawn to. I like it that way and I appreciate that Apple has not made data harvesting the keystone of their business model.
It is sad that we have some to this but this thing with Facebook and Cambridge Analytica might just make more people realise how bad things have gotten and if more people stop using Google, FB and the rest of the social media cowboys then we can take back our lives bit by bit.
If you can't... then lie about everything. not exactly lie but misdirect.
How long until they cancel it?
I’ll definitely have to sign up for this. But only if I can use my Google credentials to funnel cash payments to the dethroned Nigerian Prince I’m helping recover millions of dollars for, in anticipation of a big chunk of the recovered funds. Sure thing Google.
I'd give them a month. Then they'll launch "Android News", which will be cancelled in another month and then they'll launch "News by Google".
The jury's out on what they'll name the next iteration.
But now we are beginning to understand that that information can be used to shape beliefs and opinions as well as simply collect information. It has become a two way street and brings a whole other dimension to cyber warfare...
What was it that Spiderman said? "With great power comes great responsibility"