The Independent launches iPad app as it continues to target foreign readership
A premium iPad newspaper app has been launched by The Independent, while gearing up to relaunch its own website, as it expands its digital platforms for the future.
The paper has said that the move into the tablet market is the next step of ongoing investment into its digital future, and development of its overseas strategy, alongside the integration of Press+ subscriptions in North America.
The app will aim to provide readers from outside the UK with a digital version of the newspaper, having decided to discontinue printing the paper abroad, and has been developed for the Apple iOS 5 platform, with a Kindle edition having already been established in 2010.
A free trial period is open to users to test the Premium app, before a monthly subscription of £19.99 begins.
This week will also see the launch of independent.co.uk, which will offer content such as multimedia,
Zach Leonard, managing director of digital at The Independent, said: ‘The Independent iPad app demonstrates our ongoing investment in The Independent brand and commitment to users and readers around the world to deliver our news and opinion in a format right for them. Continuous innovation for our customers and commercial clients strengthens and secures our long-term future as a source of the highest quality objective journalism, comment and debate.’
Chris Blackhurst, editor of The Independent, added: "It is the natural extension of our strategy to make 'paid for' Independent content more widely available. The iPad app follows on the recent success of i and will continue the current trend of more and more people buying and reading Independent content every day."