With the arrival of the tablet and in particular the iPad, comes the looming question surrounding the fate of the printed press. Will the arrival of the tablet on the market change the publishing world forever?
In the past we used the internet to search for specific news and information whereas now, we can access a constant stream of news that interests us, we are more savvy and know exactly where we want to get that information. So where exactly does this leave printed media? Has the newspaper died a death? Book lovers can rest assured that magazines, books and newspapers will be around for some to come, but no doubt they will eventually look more Harry Potteresque with pictures of moving people than they do at the moment.
Consumption habits are changing but the trend for compiling and carrying your favourite book, newspaper, social networking site and tv programme all around with you on a simple device is certainly here to stay. People are more on the move now than they ever were and with this physical mobility comes the thought ‘why should I buy one magazine to read on the way to work when I can read everything in it and more on my iPhone or download it from a website and still fit it in my pocket?
Well, the publishing world has responded to this in several ways in order to maintain our interest. The Times, for example, has launched its pay wall, charging a subscription fee of £2 a week whilst the Guardian has vowed to keep its website free. Which strategy is best and most importantly, which will survive? From a personal point of view, I couldn’t really justify paying £10 a month to read the Times online when I can get news from a rich variety of sources for absolutely free. It makes more sense for me to download a newspaper app such as the Guardian’s which costs £2.30 than pay £2 a week to use The Times website. It’s early days yet, but if people feel that the Times can offer them something that they cannot find elsewhere then they will most probably pay to read it. So, how are other companies dealing with this issue?
In June, Mobile Monday London hosted its latest event, ‘Mobile Meets Media #2’ in which it discussed exactly these issues. Its panelists came from the BBC, BSkyB, Mojiva and Teletext Mobile. Some very interesting information came from the panelists, such as that from Jason Daponte, Managing Editor of mobile at BBC, who confirmed that the video watching peak on BBC online occurs right after prime time, (late evening) and that the iPhone accounts for 80% of the BBC’s mobile websites readers.
So, now that mobile technology is finally being harnessed to suit mobile users habits and needs, what more can we expect? Obviously there is a lot to be straightened out, such as moving away from the website style of many mobile apps and developing a unique mobile experience, but we can definitely say that news is no longer going to be static. At the moment it’s all about tweeting, and making sure that your brand reaches customers. Be that through videos or Geo gaming we’re excited about the possibilities open to the mobile world. Watch this space.
