It seems every printed magazines are joining the online bandwagon. Proof to this is the addition of leading magazines "StarStudio," "Kris Aquino Magazine," "FOOD," "Metro Society," and "VAULT" that can now be enjoyed on the latest Android devices such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab, Motorola Xoom, LG Optimus Pad, Acer Iconia Tab, Dell Streak, and the Asus Eee Pad, through the digital newsstand Zinio.
Zinio is the world’s largest digital newsstand, with over 4,200 titles available for download. With Zinio, users can buy single issues of ABS-CBN’s titles or get full subscriptions at up to a 62% discount from the print editions. It also lets users to synchronize their libraries that they have the convenience of reading across multiple devices and switch between them, in a single application.
ABS-CBN Publishing was the first major Philippine publisher on Zinio, having launched Metro Home and Entertaining on the digital newsstand in September 2010. Since then, the publisher has sold thousands of copies of its e-magazines, with downloads coming from 54 countries. The company’s flagship title, Metro recently won Best in Screen Tablet Platform for its iPad app in the recent Asian Publishing Awards.
ABS-CBN Publishing Head Ernie Lopez says that their magazines’ availability on Android devices comes at the right time. “We are excited that our titles are now in a broad range of devices that can provide a quality reading experience for readers anywhere in the world”, said Lopez. He added that expanding their digital offerings has been making the company define its competition at an entirely different level: “We have to strive to keep providing unique value now that our magazines are being sold side by side-and at the same price-as well-known international brands. And at the end of the day, it is the readers who benefit from having more options of what content to consume, and how they will consume it”.
The past year has seen many publishers introduce electronic editions of their magazines as they reach for new potential readers among users of tablet devices.
According to Rex Fontanoza, Digital Business Manager of ABS-CBN’s Cable Channels and Print Media Group, the capabilities of tablets has reinvigorated the local magazine industry: “For publishers, the high screen resolution of many of the new tablets makes traditional magazine photos and text even more vivid and engaging.
And for our advertisers, being on the platform is an efficient way to reach people who are on-the-go and have discretionary spending power.”
Android is considered to be the fastest growing smartphone operating system. According to technology research firm IDC, for the first quarter of 2011 Android accounted 34% of global tablet sales and is this year expected to exceed 40% of the global smartphone market.
To download ABS-CBN’s magazines, users on Android devices must download the Zinio app from the Android Market. The app is also available on the iPad App Store. PC and Mac users can access Zinio through their website www.zinio.com.