Apple’s News App in iOS 9 Grows to Over 50 Publishers

iOS9_News_app_1

According to a new report from Recode, Apple will have over 50 publishing partners on board when its News app launches this fall alongside iOS 9.

When the app was announced in June, it only had 18 publishers. The company hasn’t yet released a full list of publishers, but some previously-confirmed names include the New York Times, ESPN, and The Guardian. In addition, we are excited to note that iPhoneinCanada will also be found within the News app.

Troy Young, who runs digital for Hearst which one of Apple’s initial launch partners, said:

“It’s not a hugely complicated application. What they bring to it is massive distribution, and they’re giving publishers the ability to present their brands, in a way that feels like those brands. We like it when we tell stories in ways that are true to our brands.”

Publishers are interested in News for several reasons, including one policy that allows them to keep all revenue for ads they sell and 70 percent of revenue for any backfill advertisement spots sold by Apple.

“News’ potential audience is one of the big question marks ahead of the launch. While newsreaders attracted a lot of attention from developers a few years ago, almost all of them have fizzled. The only one to get any scale is Flipboard, which has relied on an install deal with Samsung for much of its distribution.”

Analytics firm Comscore will also be able to track News article views, which is essential data for publishers wanting to sell ads.

iOS9_News_app_2

At the same time, News will reportedly provide a retreat from iOS 9’s content-blocker support. People who install blockers will be able to remove most or all ads from Safari, which has caused concerns that ad revenues could drop even further.

The News app is excepted to launch alongside iOS 9 in the coming weeks. All the details will be revealed at Apple’s media event on September 9, where the company is expected to announce the next-generation iPhones, a new Apple TV, and new iPads.

P.S. - Like our news? Support the site with a coffee/beer. Or shop with our Amazon link. We use affiliate links when possible--thank you for supporting independent media.