The Associated Press has revealed that it intends to launch a paid news application for Apple's forthcoming iPad tablet, as part of its plan to generate income for online content.
Tom Curley President and CEO of The Associated Press announced the plans on Friday while talking to the Colorado Press Association.
An AP new business unit will be created, called AP Gateway, expanding such products as the AP Mobile news service for smartphones and online platforms including Apple's iPad.
While some services will be free supported by ads, AP believes people will be willing to pay for an iPad service, which will offer custom packages of headlines, stories, photos and video from the AP and from newspapers and broadcasters that choose to contribute their content and potentially share any revenue.
The AP's members also could use the same system to offer their own iPad applications that show their own content the company notes.
Click here for more Apple iPad coverage
"At last, we truly will be able to deliver the right content to the right people at the right time to the right device," the AP's Curley said.
"We must seize this opportunity to reinvigorate our business models as well as our journalism."
"For publishers, it is likely the defining moment," Curley added.
The AP provides more than 15,000 media outlets worldwide and thousands of commercial customers with news stories, photographs, audio, video and multimedia online products. Client's include Internet-only outlets such as Yahoo and MSNBC.
The AP already offers an iPhone application free. Available from the Apple iTunes App Store, AP Mobile requires the iTunes 3.1.2 Software Update or later.
The free AP Mobile app currently available from iTunes.
Contact Us
Digg
It's easy and free to get the latest news headlines, reviews and opinions straight to your email inbox. Sign up NOW to make sure you receive the latest Mac news, reviews and tutorials on your favourite topics.
Comments received
W_G said on Mon, 01 Mar 2010
These guys need to provide a compelling need to pay for their services such as great and well-written journalism. Or are we going down the New International business model of just charging because they can? Pay for the FT; it's really all you need!
Disclaimer
Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Macworld. Macworld accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content.
Click here to read the house rules.
Click here for the latest reader comments