The Daily and Sunday Express, Daily Star and Daily Star Sunday, OK! Magazine, Star Magazine and New! Magazine are ready for the latest platform and devices with the Windows 8 and RT launch on October 25th. Northern and Shell will be driving subscription and advertising on Microsoft Surface and other manufacturers’ mobiles and tablets and Windows PCs, including those with touch-screen capability.
Northern and Shell applications will be available to download on any Windows 8 compatible device, and feature intuitive touch-screen replica editions, plus search, social, share, download / offline and zoom functionality, say the publishers.
Each publisher branded Windows 8 and RT app is centred on PageSuite’s interactive magazine and newspaper replica edition, with daily content populated from a consistent PDF feed, which is already used cross-platform for Northern and Shell’s digital publishing, Android and iPhone and iPad apps.
Robert Avery, Enterprise & Operations Director at N&S, said: “PageSuite’s Windows 8 and RT apps help bring our print edition to life and offer us enhanced opportunities for user engagement.”
Northern and Shell applications will be available to download for free, including a seven-day free trial, from the Windows 8 Store on compatible devices, before rolling onto a reoccurring time-based paid subscription.
“Our strategy is to publish cross-platform, so everyone will be able to subscribe to the Daily and Sunday Express, Daily Star and Daily Star Sunday, OK! Magazine, Star Magazine and New! Magazine.”
Speaking about Northern & Shell’s strategy and current Newsstand applications, Avery said: “Our seven-day free trial has proved hugely popular across all platforms and we look forward to sharing this with Windows 8 users.”
Northern and Shell developed strong relationships with Microsoft and developer PageSuite to ensure delivery of two daily newspapers and three magazines brands ready for forthcoming launch.
Robert Avery said “We have worked closely with both PageSuite and Microsoft to develop a brilliant Windows 8 and RT application for launch.” He added, “Windows 8 and RT apps are the perfect opportunity for us to publish across Microsoft tablet and touch-screen PC devices”
PageSuite Managing Director Ross Murphy said: “PageSuite worked with Microsoft and Northern & Shell to make sure the design and development of the Windows 8 Apps delivered a great experience on regular and touch screen PCs as well as tablet devices. What’s also exciting about Windows 8 is the intuitive new interface where publishers can sell subscriptions and push content direct to the consumer, who will be able to upgrade on a large number of existing desktops and devices.”
