Symbolia, a tablet magazine for illustrated journalism, recently launched its first issue. The magazine’s aim is to merge in-depth journalism with visually rich illustrations and pictorials. The app is currently available only on the iPad, however subscribers can also download a PDF version. Introductory subscriptions are being offered for $11.99 annually, and so far the magazine has a four-star rating in Apple’s Newsstand.
Next Issue recently expanded its catalogue to 80 magazines by adding eight more titles for iPad users. ESPN The Magazine, Fast Company, Food & Wine, Men’s Fitness, Men’s Journal, New York Magazine and Travel + Leisure are now available-depending on the user’s subscription plan. Currently, Next Issue is the only provider of unlimited multi-title digital magazine content. The company is planning to expand its Android library in the near future.
Social commerce company ThisNext is now offering a public beta version of Glossi. Glossi enables users to easily build digital magazines with interactive features like video, audio, clickable links and page-turning effects. The digital editions can also be embedded into websites or blogs. Glossi is designed with both the professional and amateur publishers in mind that are seeking simple solutions for digital publishing.
Sucree Magazine has recently launched as a consumer’s digital source for news and recipes related to confectionary foods. The magazine’s premium content will be offered to subscribers for $29.95 per year or $10.95 on a month-to-month basis.
U.S. magazine titles are now being offered in the UK on Google Play Magazines. The Play store launched summer 2012 in an effort to compete with Apple’s Newsstand. As an introductory incentive, Google is offering free 30-day trial subscriptions for a number of titles. Holiday sales have been robust for the Google Nexus 7 and 10 tablets and the company is looking to expand its catalogue of titles.
