Next Issue Media starts offering magazines on Android
updated 07:40 am EDT, Wed May 18, 2011
Next Issue Media delivers magazines to GTab
Apple has recently seen the adoption of its in-app subscription service for magazines begin to be adopted by publishers, after an early reluctance. Though this has been a win for Apple and its customers, the arrangement has never been one of exclusivity. Until recently, Apple’s iPad was the default tablet of choice for obvious reasons. However, from this Thursday Next Issue Media will be launching Android app versions of seven magazines for some Samsung Galaxy Tab users.
While significant, Next Issue Media is calling the move an “early preview.” While magazine subscriptions on the iPad have been promising, they have not been a runaway success. The Next Issue Media consortium includes media heavy weights Conde Nast, Hearst, Meredith, Time Inc., and News Corp, who are determined to stay relevant in a paperless society. By the end of the year, the consortium will be selling around 40 titles on Android.
At this stage, the deal is only available to Galaxy Tab owners who purchased their device from Verizon, which will sell the titles through its Vcast app store. The deal will also eventually extend to HP’s webOS users. [via All Things Digital]
