Time Inc., Apple allow magazine subscribers to access iPad versions for free

By Andrew Couts May 2, 2011

The publishing world’s migration to the iPad continued this week with Time Inc., the largest magazine publisher, reaching a deal with Apple to release free versions of its magazines to print subscribers, reports the Wall Street Journal. The agreement could signal that a compromise has been reached between Apple and disgruntled publishers, who have called the gadget company’s subscription policy unfair and overbearing.

As of this week, subscribers to Sports Illustrated, Time and Fortune magazines can access the publications on the iPad through the magazine apps at no charge. To do so, they will have to authenticate their subscription when they use the app. Before the deal, subscribers to these publications had to pay for access to the iPad versions. Subscribers to People magazine, another Time Inc. title, already had free iPad version access.

The deal could have far-reaching implications for publishers looking to release their content through Apple’s popular tablet. By offering the iPad versions for free, Time has effectively surpassed Apple and its 30 percent charge on every subscription fee garnered through the App Store. Time has also denied Apple valuable customer data, which will now be collected exclusively by Time, rather than Apple.

Before now, Apple hasn’t allowed publishers to bundle their print and iPad version subscriptions. The tight restrictions imposed by Apple led the Federal Trade Commission to launch an anticompetitive investigation into its subscription policy in February.

Despite the complaints about Apple’s policy, the publishers of magazines like Maxim, Elle and Popular Science all signed on to the controversial plan soon after its unveiling.

Time’s decision to make its iPad magazines free comes at a time when the company is expected to report flat revenue for the first quarter of 2011. And Time isn’t the only one; the magazine industry as a whole is struggling, with already-deflated advertising revenue expected to fall another 1-2 percent further over each of the next two years. Whether or not free iPad access can help Time increase its reader base — and thus, its advertising revenue — remains a shot in the dark.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Features Editor for Digital Trends, Andrew Couts covers a wide swath of consumer technology topics, with particular focus on…

Mobile

Apple may announce new iPads next month. Here’s everything we expect

The yellow iPad (2022) lying face-down on a green bush.

When it comes to Apple, we expect a new product refresh annually at this point, including for the iPad. However, that didn't happen in 2023. In fact, 2023 was the first year that Apple didn't release a new iPad model at all, which means we haven’t had new iPad releases since 2022.

It’s unclear why we didn’t see any new iPads last year. However, that should also be an indicator that we can expect some big changes for the next generation of iPad models, which are rumored to come out this year. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has even said that we could see new iPads as early as March.

Mobile

Apple’s new iPad Pro may not be as expensive as we feared

Two iPad Pro tablets next to each other against a black background. Both have Apple's Magic Keyboard case.

Apple didn’t release a new iPad last year, which means 2024 should be a banner year for the popular tablets. And now there's been word that the upcoming iPad Pro lineup, likely to include OLED for the first time, might not cost as much as we once feared.

According to a new report from DigiTimes, the upcoming iPad Pro models won’t see a dramatic price hike, as was suggested in December. Previously, it was reported that the 2024 11-inch iPad Pro would cost at least $1,500, while the next 12.9-inch model (which will have a larger 13-inch display) would start at $1,800. The current models start at $799 and $1,099, respectively.

Mobile

Apple iPad Air is back down to its Black Friday price

The back of the iPad Air 5.

For those who are on the hunt for iPad deals, you probably should take advantage of Best Buy's $150 discount for the Wi-Fi, 64GB model of the fifth-generation Apple iPad Air. From its original price of $600, it's back down to $450, which is what the tablet was going for during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. If you missed the chance to buy the device back then, you shouldn't let this opportunity slip through your fingers -- proceed with completing the transaction now while it's not yet too late.

Why you should buy the Apple iPad Air 5th Gen
The 2022 Apple iPad Air reigns over both of our lists for the best iPads and best tablets, primarily because of the power it packs for a reasonable price. You'll be able to watch streaming shows, play video games, browse the internet, and multitask between all of these apps without any issues. This is possible through Apple's M1 processor, which comes with an eight-core CPU for efficient performance, an eight-core GPU for amazing graphics, and a 16-core Neural Engine and 8GB of RAM for fast processing and rendering. The fifth-generation Apple iPad Air may be overkill for some people, but that only means you won't feel the need to make an upgrade for years to come.