App offers “Netflix for magazine,” content to hundreds of titles for $9.99 monthly
Big news for Apple News: Apple says it’s buying digital magazine subscription app Texture in a move widely seen as cementing its role as a major distributor of news.
The acquisition of Texture, which says it offers unlimited access to a couple hundred magazines like Vanity Fair, Car and Driver, Bon Appetit, Consumer Reports, Forbes and others for $9.99 monthly, will add more content to the Apple News app, which has become an increasingly important way for news publishers to reach readers.
Apple is also playing up Apple News as a trusted source of news as the nation wrestles with a “fake news” epidemic on Facebook and Google’s YouTube.
While the other two tech giants rely heavily on artificial intelligence to monitor the spread of fabricated or hoax news stories on their platforms, Apple relies on a small U. S. editorial team to curate the contents of its news app that comes pre-loaded on Apple’s smartphones.
Texture, formerly known as Next Issue Media, was a venture by magazine publishers to compete in the smartphone age. John Loughlin, CEO of Texture, formerly known as Next Issue Media, said its owners —Condé Nast, Hearst, Meredith, Rogers Media and KKR — “could not imagine a better home or future for the service.”
Apple in no rush to be the next Netflix
Eddy Cue, an Apple senior vice president, announced the Texture acquisition at the South by Southwest conference in Austin, where he called out bogus stories on social media.
“We are committed to quality journalism from trusted sources and allowing magazines to keep producing beautifully designed and engaging stories for users,” Cue said in a statement.
Eddy @Cue about Apple News: We do not just want to show you the news that you want. We want to create a little bit of serendipity, show you some articles that you should be reading. #sxsw
Apple News is becoming an increasingly important distribution tool as news publishers look for an alternative to Facebook.
Apple News has generated half of Vox.com’s daily traffic at times, a person familiar with Vox’s numbers told the news outlet. An executive at the website of a major TV network said Apple News accounted for as much as 60% of traffic for some stories.
Apple’s Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services Eddy @cue speaking at #SXSW 2018. pic.twitter.com/4MVF5Ta9Rt
Apple has a team of curators who select content for the “Top Stories” and “Spotlight,” sections of the app, while the “For You” section highlights articles from sources you tell Apple you want to hear from.
Additionally, Siri, the Apple personal assistant, suggests channels and topics based on what you’re reading in Safari and on apps, Apple says.
