The unveiling of Apple's (AAPL) new tablet computer on Jan. 27 has sparked hopes the device will improve the fortunes of companies supplying content for the device. Newspaper and magazine publishers in particular are looking to the iPad to help reverse declines in their industries, while book publishers are seeking an alternative to the leading digital bookseller, Amazon.com (AMZN), that will give them more control over pricing and distribution. As The New York Times' (NYT) digital chief Martin Nisenholtz showed off his paper on the iPad at the Apple event, he called it "the best of print with the best of digital, all rolled into one."
The question is whether teaming up with Apple and Steve Jobs makes sense for content companies. It's still a subject of much debate. The music industry's experience may be the closest parallel to what's ahead for publishers. After Apple introduced the iPod and iTunes online store, it helped reshape how fans find, buy, and listen to music. In the process, Apple became the largest distributor of music in the world, surpassing Wal-Mart (WMT) in 2008.
Featured later in the article is Roger Fidler, program director for digital publishing at the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute:
"Nobody expects the tablet to take off as fast as the iPod or iPhone," says Fidler, who has been working on digital newspaper technologies since the late 1970s. "But Apple never thinks small."
Comments
Add Your Comment