Apple has moved to purchase a digital magazine subscription service that has been compared to Netflix.
The firm has confirmed the acquisition of Next Issue Media, the owner of the Texture app, which offers access to more than 200 titles.
The $9.99 a month service provides downloads of marquee titles like like Time, Esquire, People, Fortune, Elle, Vanity Fair, GQ and The New Yorker.
Texture will continue to operate on Android, Kindle Fire and Windows 10, according to Apple, which has paid an undisclosed amount for the company.
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The purchase represents yet another move from a tech giant into media ownership and delivery.
While Apple provides access to third-party content through its News app, this is the first time the firm has moved into the ownership game.
Although the publications in question remain owned by their respective publishing houses, Apple has gained control of an important delivery mechanism.
Whether Apple plans to build this into News, or use Next Issue Media’s tech to improve its own offerings remains to be seen.
It’ll also offer another revenue boost to Apple’s increasingly profitable services division, alongside Apple Music.
Apple’s SVP of internet software and services, Eddy Cue, said: “We are committed to quality journalism from trusted sources and allowing magazines to keep producing beautifully designed and engaging stories for users.”
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
