A Major Shift in the Reader Experience
In a recent development, Apple has made a significant change to its operating systems, which will automatically redirect News+ subscribers to the Apple News app when they click on links from a News+ publisher. This means that if you are a subscriber to News+, clicking or tapping on a link to a paywalled story published by a News+ partner, including stories from Extra Crunch membership program, will take you directly to the article page in the News+ app.
The Impact of the Change
This change is likely to improve the reader experience for subscribers, as they will no longer need to navigate to the publisher’s website to access paywalled content. However, it may also have significant implications for publishers who rely on their own websites and apps to deliver content to readers.
Tony Haile, founder of the ad-free subscription news service Scroll, was among the first to notice this change and highlighted its potential impact on publishers in a tweet:
Woah, I wonder how many publishers in Apple News+ realize that the new iOS 14 and MacOS Big Sur are by default intercepting traffic to their sites and sending it to the Apple News app instead.pic.twitter.com/k4PQG9mE7M— Tony Haile (@arctictony) August 10, 2020
The Experience of New York Times App Readers
The experience of having links automatically redirected to a news app is not new to some readers. For example, users who subscribe to the New York Times app have been accustomed to this behavior for some time. When they click on a web link, they are taken straight to the article page in the NY Times app.
The Implications for Publishers
The change may be disconcerting for publishers who have invested in their own websites and apps to deliver content to readers. As Haile noted:
Any strategic rationale that Apple News+ represents a separate channel/audience is now gone. This directly cannibalizes a publisher’s core subscription audience.
The Revenue Impact on Publishers
While the change may improve the reader experience for subscribers, it may also have significant revenue implications for publishers who rely on their own websites and apps to deliver content to readers. According to Digiday, publishers have been underwhelmed with the revenue generated by Apple News+.
Update from Apple
In response to concerns raised by Haile and others, an Apple spokesperson provided a statement:
Apple is committed to creating the best experience for Apple News+ subscribers. This change offers subscribers seamless access to the content that is part of their News+ subscription right in the News app or publisher app, as well as providing publishers with increased engagement and revenue opportunities on Apple News.
How to Opt Out
While the change may be disconcerting for some readers, it’s worth noting that News+ subscribers can opt out of this feature by setting their link preference in their News settings. This allows them to choose whether they want links to open in the News app or in their browser.
The Bigger Picture
The change highlights the ongoing debate between Apple and publishers over how content is delivered to readers. While Apple’s goal is to create a seamless experience for subscribers, publishers may be concerned about the potential impact on their revenue streams.
In the end, only time will tell whether this change has a positive or negative impact on the reader experience and the publishing industry as a whole.
Related Topics
Share Your Thoughts
What do you think about Apple’s new operating system change? Will it improve the reader experience for subscribers, or will it have significant implications for publishers? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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