Apple plans to offer a subscription-based news service within the next year, according to Mark Gurman, reporting for Bloomberg News. Apple declined to comment on the report, as it has not announced the plans publicly.
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The service is said to be based on subscription-based digital magazine app Texture, which is expected to be integrated into the Apple News app on iPhone and iPad, pending approval of Apple's agreement to acquire the company.
Texture provides unlimited access to over 200 digital magazines for $9.99 per month. Available magazine titles include People, Vogue, Rolling Stone, National Geographic, GQ, Sports Illustrated, Wired, Maxim, Men's Health, GQ, Bloomberg Businessweek, ESPN The Magazine, and Entertainment Weekly.
"We are committed to quality journalism from trusted sources and allowing magazines to keep producing beautifully designed and engaging stories for users," said Apple's services chief Eddy Cue, on Apple acquiring Texture.
The service would essentially be like Apple Music, which provides unlimited streaming of over 45 million songs for $9.99 per month, but for news and magazines. The revenue would help boost Apple's growing services division, including the App Store and iCloud, while a cut would also go to publishers.
The premium tier would likely complement the existing ad-supported content available within the Apple News app, which is currently available in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom on iOS 9 and later.
Apple previously offered a Newsstand app with digital magazines and newspapers, but subscriptions were only available on a title-by-title basis.
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Top Rated Comments
but does this not have "Fail" written all over it ?
Apple in 2018 = Services + UserData + PoliticsLobbying + UsersMustAcceptAllPopUps + PrematureObsolescence
As opposed to:
Apple in 2000 = UserFreedom + RespectUsersChoices + UserPower + BestOSEver + LongTimeInvestment
So yes, a magazine service fits nicely with the "Apple in 2018" equation.
Seriously, didn't News.app launch with iOS 9? They're able to push so quickly with some things (hardware, carriers, Music) to hundreds of countries but News seems stuck in just a few locales. Heck, even Pay is available in more places.
Now days? I can't stand spending $ on the <bleep> that most magazines print. The advertisements for even paying customers is beyond insane. Over the last 20 years I've got to see the quality degrade and the advertisements and paid "try this new product!" crap increase. I can't stand newspapers either.
Maybe I'm getting old and grouchy in my 30s but... I find a lot more fun in buying a book and reading it. No subscriptions, no advertisements, ahhhhhh. I try to read 5-8 books a year and wish I could read more. Every now and then I'll pick up a magazine, cringe at the $3.99 cost, and then remember why I don't spend $ on this crap anymore.
I've got a pile of 40+ books at home I intend to read but have less and less time to actually read. Ending all my subscriptions has saved over $500/year (Economist/WSJ being heavy hitters). I read less but a good friend gives me his old Economist magazines a few times a year so...
Can't imagine paying $9/mo for yet ANOTHER subscription service. Not for me I guess.
Here it’s a hint Apple. Come up with a single service subscription that encompasses iCloud storage, music, movies, news, etc.
Simplify and give a Big Bang for your buck and I think many people would jump in. Breaking it all apart and having too many subscriptions = failure IMO.