iPad Magazine Publishing Made Easy

Print this articleYou don't need paper and a printing press to publish a magazine in the digital age. By converting your magazine to an app for the iPad, you can publish in digital format. Some established periodicals, such as "Wired," have already hopped on the bandwagon by producing iPad editions. This hasn't created the sales boom publishers hoped for, but iPad publishing still offers a low-cost option for releasing a digital magazine.

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When the iPod debuted in 2010, Apple promoted its potential as a digital magazine platform, an alternative distribution channel to weakening print sales. IPad magazine sales languished, however, and the iPad didn't offer publishers the option to sell subscriptions, which meant readers had to pay for each individual digital issue. In 2011, Apple unveiled a subscription model for iPad magazines, though publishers have objected that Apple's 30 percent cut of subscription payments is too steep.

Publishing Options

If you're interested in turning your magazine or magazine idea into an iPad app, you have several publishing options. Adobe has a digital publishing platform designed for the iPad, and usable on other tablets. WoodWing offers a simple system that allows publishers to develop graphics from Adobe InDesign, combine them with text and put a magazine together. Apple announced in 2011 it will use its XCode development environment to create a publishing template. If you have the technological skills available, you can also develop your own system.

The App

An iPad magazine is an app, just like the ones that dot the interface of so many iPhones and iPads. To get your publication onto the iPad, you have to meet Apple's requirements, including that your app behaves differently in the foreground and background of the screen; your icon must be the right size; and your design tools must be acceptable to Apple. Even if you can't create the design you want that way, it's the only option the iPad gives you. You'll also have to meet Apple's terms on revenue sharing, such as the 70 percent subscription model.

Considerations

According to "Gadget Daily News," Apple anticipates new publishers offering everything from news magazines to comic books on the iPad. Digital distribution makes it easier to put magazines into the hands of buyers, and you don't have to worry about printing too many copies. On the other hand, hard-copy magazines get to keep all the money they make from subscriptions. If you go digital, you'll still face the same challenge as every publisher -- coming up with interesting content and an attractive format.

ReferencesPC Magazine: Why iPad Magazines Are FailingPC Magazine: Report: Apple to Unveil Magazine Publishing Template for iPadArsTechnica: Adobe Rolls Out iPad Focused Publishing ToolsFast Company: Easy iPad Magazine Publishing Could Upset Big-Name Mag's BusinessArsTechnica: Apple Takes Aim at Adobe ... Or AndroidGadget Daily News: Apple Creating a Magazine Publishing Tool for Developers?ResourcesEngadget: iPad Apps: News and MagazinesApple: Apple icons on iPad and iPhoneApple: About iOS App ProgrammingRead Next:

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