In the last few weeks we've seen new apps from the Spectator, CNN, Newsy.com, and reports of one in development at the Guardian.
It's become an obvious question to ask in interviews: FT.com's Paul Murphy said that Alphaville is considering launching its own app in addition to the Financial Times' existing device. Another FT product, How to Spend It magazine, which will launching its first website on Saturday, said that a mobile app is on its post-launch wishlist.
Of course unofficial apps can be found as well – not just for iPhone. Future Platforms developed its own Android application for the Guardian last month.
Yesterday's AOP census survey indicated that more official apps are on the horizon. Of around 40 publishers surveyed - which included six or seven newspaper groups - 85 per cent rated mobile web as an area of high opportunity, when asked to scale its significance.
In answer to the question, 'what distribution channel will become more important in the next 12 months?', 69 per cent of respondents said mobile, while 67 per cent said mobile apps. The rise of the iPhone has been a 'pivotal moment' for publishers, Tim Cain, head of research and insight of AOP told Journalism.co.uk, and 'opens up the market for mobile'.
Of those who plan to charge for content, 26 per cent said they would charge for downloadable apps and 16 per cent for specific mobile content.
But is the strategy well-thought out? Mark Challinor, managing director of mobile phone consultancy G8Wave and European director for the International Newsmedia Marketing Association (INMA), said news organisations sometimes don't realise that global use of iPhones is currently limited.
"There is a future, but let's be cautious about putting all our energies into apps and nothing else," he tells Journalism.co.uk.
"Global penetration of iPhones is still very small, despite much media myth.
"There are many other services such a location-based technologies, barcodes, vouchering and secure payment options, which are all really important developments for the future - services for all or the majority of handsets, be it iPhone or otherwise."
But Daryl Rayner from Exact Editions, the company that built the Spectator's new product, thinks paying for apps is a huge opportunity: "People are already paying and Spectator sales have been good since it went live. We have always said that the paid model is important and crucial."
Rayner's company is building more applications for other publishers: 'all are strong brands' is all she will say for now, before they have gone through Apple's review process.
But what is unusual about the Spectator's launch, Rayner says, is that all of the current issue's content and a 'substantial' archive are available on the app - 'a first for the magazine/newspaper industry', she claims.
"It's perfectly feasible to provide access to a complete daily newspaper (and all its sections) in similar fashion," she adds.
Watch this space, then. Many other magazine and newspaper publishers are currently considering their paid-for options and as Exact Edition's Adam Hodgkin says, in a blog post, 'the Spectator's experience of moving to a 'charged' model will be studied with interest'.
Latest launches:
The Spectator [iTunes link]
How much? Spectator: 99c (59p, or €0.79) for a seven-day subscription to the magazine. Provides access to more than 200 back issues.
What they say: "The iPhone is a compelling platform for mobile consumers, and for that reason it will become a fabulous platform for publishers," says developer Exact Editions.
CNN [iTunes link, US only]
How much? $2 to download.
What they say: "A solid, slick tool that many news junkies are likely to find worth the price," says Wired.com in its review.
Newsy.com:
How much? Free
What they say: "More and more people are consuming their news on the go and in short snippets: our iPhone app is Newsy.com's next step in delivering our content to the fast growing mobile video market," according to Newsy.com president, Jim Spencer.
Finance reporter - property
