iTunes for magazine industry
October 2, 2009
- Posted by Robert Washburn
The new Apple tablet promises to bring a revolution to the magazine industry in a manner similar to the iPod's impact on music.
"Traditional publishers -- concerned that Apple's anticipated tablet
computer could affect their business the way the iPod disempowered
music publishers -- are discussing possible strategies, including an
industry-wide digital storefront where tablet users could buy digital
issues or subscriptions without going through iTunes or the App Store."
If successful, it could bring an entirely new generation to magazines.
The music labels tried to create digital storefronts for their products prior to advent of the iTunes Music Store. They were dismal failures due to terrible user interfaces, draconian digital rights management (DRM) and limited, label-specific inventory.
I have little hope that magazine and newspaper publishers on their own will do a better job. DRM and silo-thinking will stink up the joint like a bad magazine perfume insert.