It’s been only three years since the iPad came out, yet it’s now hard to believe that tablets are a technology we ever lived without. Various industries have been completely re-shaped or created thanks to the emerging tablet market and no industry knows this more than the creators behind newspapers and magazines.
A massive 87 percent of all newspapers and magazines in the U.S. now have an iPad app, with this number likely to continue to rise. Out of these, roughly 50 percent have a subscription based paywall to read their content. This doesn’t mean that the print versions are on their way out though, as 97 percent of those that answered the survey say they plan to continue their print presence for at least the next 5 years.
Many people have decided they prefer the comfort and convenience of scrolling through their news on an iPad rather than flipping through the large inky pages of a daily newspaper. This has forced newspapers to adapt and focus on developing apps that provide an alternative to the longstanding physical format. While the world may not be ready yet for an iPad specific paper, it is now almost a necessity that your paper has some sort of presence on Apple’s tablet.
Those interested can read the complete 23 page survey here.
