This could be a cool news app. Ridiculous pricing for a subscription. Getting deleted from the iPad & iPhone. Not even worth reading for the unlocked stories.
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WSJ App. Such a waste
- Thread starter Razeus
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These magazines and newspapers like Time are insane if they think we'll pay newsstand prices just because its an iPad app. The price should be the same if not lower as the print subscription prices, since they save on raw materials and distribution costs. They could have a simple pdf download of each magazine and charge more for an enhanced interactive version which would be better than the way it is now.
Well they may not of raw material costs, but they have design costs and such. It seems it would make sense that subscribers of a magazine or newspaper should be able to access the iPad app for free or a small premium (say $.99) to cover transferring the content to an iApp. WSJ charging more than the online edition is insane.
Jaro65
macrumors 68040
When WSJ app was released for iPad, I couldn't believe how much they wanted me to pay for their content on monthly basis ($17.99). This on top of what I was paying already to access the same content online. I deleted the app and I ended up calling them and canceling the online subscription as well. Good bye, Rupert. And good luck with your greed.
Ya. I've had the real paper sub since i was an MBA student. I never had time to read the paper ( or carry it around) so i wanted the online edition. They wanted more money on top of that. Now this app wants money. I'm gonna let it run out. Ny times and financial times and bloomberg are all I need.
I'm all for good journalism and don't mind paying for it, but that's ridiculous. This is not the way to save their business. Let the free markets decide who stays and who goes.
JNB
macrumors 604
I have it and am keeping it, mainly because I don't have a paper sub (I'm never home) and the hotels I'm in at the time may or may not have itnot to mention travel days where I'm gone before delivery anyway. Never had the online sub, either.
Yeah, I think $17.99 is a little steep, but it's so far the best iPad periodical app I've seen, I get regular updates through the day, and I can peruse stuff I didn't have time for, holding up to a week's worth at a time. I've been pretty happy with it, and what the hell, it's a write off.
A much better value to me than that craptastic Wired app. Sooo disappointed in that one. I'll just stick with the print edition there.
Yeah, I think $17.99 is a little steep, but it's so far the best iPad periodical app I've seen, I get regular updates through the day, and I can peruse stuff I didn't have time for, holding up to a week's worth at a time. I've been pretty happy with it, and what the hell, it's a write off.
A much better value to me than that craptastic Wired app. Sooo disappointed in that one. I'll just stick with the print edition there.
mkrishnan
Moderator emeritus
I thought that they already did this -- I'm surprised that they don't provide access for WSJ online subscribers (and I thought that the paper subscription came with a free online subscription as well).
They've been aggressive in experimenting with different subscription strategies, so contacting them might actually end up having an impact.
FWIW I have the app but no subscription and just read a few extra articles in it (usually after I've already read the NYT and the BBC news coverage, and perhaps USA Today). WSJ writes some good articles on topics others do not cover, and they are a nice balance perspective (being one of the most rigorous rightist publications in the US), although recently I feel like they've become too populist and are sacrificing some of their rigor.
As a slight off-topic, there is a similar issue with lots of magazines. A typical scenario with paid magazine apps is that they charge $2.99 an issue for the issue app on the iPhone, with no benefits for print subscribers (in this case, print subscribing though is a lot cheaper -- like $12-18/year vs the $30-40 for getting all the "app" issues). I kind of wonder who is buying the GQ issue apps on a regular basis.
I guess it's only fair to say, in defense of consumption based periodicals, that this is a total new foray for them. I don't blame them for making an attempt at getting as much $ out of the early adopters as possible. I have a very strong feeling that we will see parity over the long term and prices will come down. Otherwise, they won't make much money on their apps and realize that decreasing the price would lead to an increase in subscribers.
mkrishnan
Moderator emeritus
I'm confused about what costs what... is the pricing for extended coverage in the iPad different than in the iPhone app? I received an e-mail today encouraging me to subcribeto Wall Street Journal Online at the rate of $8.62 you quoted (with four weeks free). However, when I navigate to a premium article in the WSJ app, and I follow the click-through, I get an offer to subscribe to WSJ Mobile Reader App for $1.50 a week (which would average out to $6.50 a month) or to subscribe to WSJ.com and the mobile reader for $2.69 a week (which would average out to $11.65 a month -- it seems from some googling that you can get print+online access at this price, too).
This is part of the confusion people are describing... the WSJ has at least three major "versions":
- Online
- Mobile
And they each have separate subscriptions (although, as above, apparently there are some package deals available). What's particularly annoying is that I created a WSJ.com account in order to activate some functionality in the Mobile app, and this results in me getting an e-mail to subscribe at discount to WSJ.com, but it doesn't make it clear at all that this does not mean the same thing as subscribing to the Mobile app content.
I have to say, I am still very confused about it, and I wouldn't have paid $17/mo for access via the iPhone/iPad app, but... I might pay $6.50... It appears that the $6.50 rate involves paying up front for 52 weeks ($78).
mkrishnan
Moderator emeritus
The ads on the WSJ app are so obnoxious - they take up the whole screen. Pretty much every two pages you turn, and then you get an ad. Considering one is paying for the subscription its really annoying... 🙁
Too bad WSJ is the only paper with an Opinion section written by people who aren't complete morons.
Too bad WSJ is the only paper with an Opinion section written by people who aren't complete morons.
Jaro65
macrumors 68040
Zinio is the way to go as far as the magazines go. The magazines may not be as media-rich as some of the standalone magazine apps, but they're not too bad. The last couple issues of National Geographic that I get though Zinio were actually very nice, with extra videos, slideshows, etc. - very nicely done. And the subscription prices though Zinio are on par with print subscriptions.
mkrishnan
Moderator emeritus
Yeah, I'm familiar with Zinio -- when I got my free trial with my iBook back 7 years ago, I read a bunch of magazines through it, and it was already quite good back then. Much more amazing on the iPad. But my magazine subscriptions are mostly so I have something to do while the airplane takes off and lands, and I can't use my electronic devices (sad, but true), so paper treats me fine. Plus, they have the fragrance samples you can smell! 🙂
Have not subscribed to WSJ yet, but might....
Uh
Uh, there is NO incremental charge if one has a print or online account - for now at least. If they go to something like 17.99$, fahgedabout! I won't pay, but I will say, the app is great and the greatest compliment I can give is that IF they decide to charge for it more than a token amount it is going to be VERY painful for me.
A) I will either have to delete it, and that would be painful becomes I have come to use it far more than the print (suspended) or online version or,
B) I'll have to pony up and pay some crazy amount.
I'll probably start out with A, but later end up coming back to B.
They REALLY did a great job on the app.
Uh, there is NO incremental charge if one has a print or online account - for now at least. If they go to something like 17.99$, fahgedabout! I won't pay, but I will say, the app is great and the greatest compliment I can give is that IF they decide to charge for it more than a token amount it is going to be VERY painful for me.
A) I will either have to delete it, and that would be painful becomes I have come to use it far more than the print (suspended) or online version or,
B) I'll have to pony up and pay some crazy amount.
I'll probably start out with A, but later end up coming back to B.
They REALLY did a great job on the app.
alphaod
macrumors Core
I currently pay the subscription to the iPad app. It is pricey it would seem, but I can access online articles as well. As nice as some services (ie. NY Times, USA Today) are free, I like the newspaper format provided in the WSJ app.
This also allows me to experience the same as my paper subscription (which I canceled) as I can still access this experience overseas.
This also allows me to experience the same as my paper subscription (which I canceled) as I can still access this experience overseas.
not too much longer
Both the Time and USA today apps will be $$ apps come July, or at least that is what THEY have reported. So, it appears that nothing will actually be free going forward.
Nice thing though is that the ipad does online reading so well.
Both the Time and USA today apps will be $$ apps come July, or at least that is what THEY have reported. So, it appears that nothing will actually be free going forward.
Nice thing though is that the ipad does online reading so well.
mkrishnan
Moderator emeritus
Well, people pay for it now... not all of its 1.8M daily copies go to hotels...
I am curious to see if any of the newspapers give iAds a try. It seems that, unlike the situation with advertising on the desktop web browser, there actually is some potential for revenue on mobile devices.