Google’s pioneering Google Play magazines service and rival to Apple Newsstand went live in the USA in March 2012, and from last week is available in the UK as an update on all Android devices running Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and above.
Google Play Magazines can be browsed on a desktop PC, or via an Android mobile app, with issues stored in the Cloud and synchronised across multiple devices. Single issues of magazines or bookazines can be purchased easily, and new subscribers get a free 14-day or 30-day trial which can be cancelled at any time.
The Imagine portfolio is particularly suited to mobile devices, say the publishers, and it includes worldwide magazine brands such as iCreate, How It Works, gamesTM, Retro Gamer, Photoshop Creative, Digital Photographer, Android Magazine and SciFiNow. Soon to follow on Google Play will be Imagine’s bookazine range.
This announcement represents another leap forward for Imagine’s internationalisation and digitisation strategy.
“Google Play Magazines is the most exciting thing to happen to digital publishing since the launch of Apple’s Newsstand last year,” said Group Managing Director Damian Butt. “For the first time, Imagine Publishing’s magazines and bookazines are available to purchase worldwide 24/7 on every updated Android smartphone and tablet – that’s hundreds of millions of new potential readers of Imagine’s high quality content.”
Imagine’s Group Creative Director Mark Kendrick said: “Imagine has always been keen to push the envelope of digital publishing, so we are really excited with today’s announcement of our partnership with Google. Imagine magazines will look better and read better than ever on Google Play as all our titles will be displayed in beautiful high resolution. And with the Magazine app’s built in Text View option, Imagine magazines and bookazines have never been more accessible to a massively growing worldwide readership. It’s a truly ground-breaking opportunity, and one that Imagine intends to build on,” Kendrick added.
