Apple News to Offer Exclusive Early Access to Select Content

Apple News IconApple News launched on iOS 9 this week in the U.S., delivering the latest stories from large publications and independent blogs alike in one mobile-friendly format on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

Apple has set attractive monetization terms for Apple News, allowing publishers to collect 100% of revenue earned from ads they sell and 70% of revenue from iAds inventory sold by Apple.

In return, publishers appear ready to give Apple News a chance. In addition to several high-profile publications that have signed on for the service, including Bloomberg, CNN, ESPN and The New York Times, at least one has decided to offer exclusive early access to select content through the app.

Re/code editor Peter Kafka recently tweeted that an upcoming Wired feature about "starchitect Bjarke Ingels" will be available exclusively on Apple News at 3 PM Eastern today, with expanded availability on the web next Tuesday -- a four-day exclusive window on Apple News.

Wired parent company Conde Nast, which also publishes Vanity Fair, GQ, Epicurious, Teen Vogue and Conde Nast Traveler, will be pushing sponsorship opportunities to advertisers, which is perhaps a more viable monetization strategy with the emergence of content blockers on iOS 9. It has already signed up Burberry, Ford, Campbell Soup and Reynolds to flat-rate deals.

Apple News has the potential to command a large audience due to widespread adoption of iPhones and iPads, but it remains to be seen how popular the app will be with Facebook, Twitter and other platforms for consuming digital content vying for reader attention. News Corporation shut down its iPad newspaper The Daily in 2012, while Conde Nast has attempted exclusive iPad content in the past with little fanfare.

The full potential of Apple News should become clearer as iOS 9 adoption rises and Apple News Format becomes widely available for publishers to create custom editorial layouts geared towards their individual brands.

Top Rated Comments

RDeckard Avatar
101 months ago
What is it with Apple on using pink in their app icons? Oh, I'm sorry. I mean rose gold.
What is it with all the whining here? Oh, I'm sorry. This is MacRumors, err, I mean MacWhiners.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LordQ Avatar
101 months ago
I have to wonder how many people actually use this?
I do, ditched Flipboard for it. Loving it.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sniffies Avatar
101 months ago
What it really needs to be usable:

- sort by oldest
- mark as read on scroll
- already read indicator
- show ALL articles from my channels, not just the ones Apple thinks are popular

Give me all of the above, and I'll divorce Feedly.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OS X Dude Avatar
101 months ago
This comes at the same time as Safari 'content' blockers stop ads on websites.

Well played!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Razeus Avatar
101 months ago
What is it with Apple on using pink in their app icons? Oh, I'm sorry. I mean rose gold.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacBH928 Avatar
101 months ago
Who pays for news these days? Its not 1984. Anything you want can be found in multiple news sources
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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