Technology Review's Jason Pontin got some buzz on Monday with a refreshingly candid post about his publication's decision to embrace HTML5 and, eventually, kill its apps after a $124,000 investment in app development generated only 353 iPad subscriptions. He concludes:
As with all absolutes, Pontin's concluding statement exaggerates the reality of the app market for publishers. There is plenty of potential in apps for media companies. I guess you can parse his words to conclude that he's just talking about a specific slice of the app market - "paid, expensive, extravagant digital replicas" - but he's still painting with a pretty broad brush."The paid, expensively developed publishers' app, with its extravagantly produced digital replica, is dead."
Pontin is right about one key point: Publishers that view the app market as a way to extend their existing print models are in for a rude awakening. Delivering and monetizing content through apps requires some fresh thinking, not lipstick on a pig. But it will take time - and lots of experimentation - before the right model emerges.
We're already seeing some promising innovation in both app design and business models.
- Next Issue Media's digital newsstand offers a flat monthly subscription plan for unlimited access to 30-plus consumer publications. Nieman's Ken Doctor called the kiosk concept "transformative."
- Publishers Press is developing The Magazine Channel, an app that will aggregate licensed content from a variety of the company's print customers in special-interest categories such as landscaping, travel, hunting/fishing and healthcare. The TMC app will enable users to build personalized collections of articles within each interest category.
- Tech publisher IDG has extended its marketing services offerings into custom app development, as a way to monetize higher-value, custom media opportunities.
- http://www.emediavitals.com/content/no-future-apps-not-so-fast?utm_source=Daily+Buzz&utm_campaign=380f42661f-_nb_DB_05-09-2012&utm_medium=email
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