• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, November 8, 2010

The Washington Post appears to have found a way around some of the obstacles erected by Apple to selling digital subscriptions for the iPad tablet computer.

 

The newspaper has introduced a new app, which includes a subscription option costing $3.99 per month for readers who don't subscribe to the print edition. Print subscribers can access the digital subscription on their iPad for $0.99 a month -- assuming they are willing to pay an extra dollar for the added convenience.

To showcase the app and build demand, it will be available for free to all readers until mid-February 2011.

This is one of the first subscription plans for the iPad from a major publication; most other magazine and newspaper publishers say they are discouraged from offering digital subscriptions for the device, given Apple's reticence in sharing consumer data -- the geographic location of iPad owners -- which makes it hard to market subscriptions to likely buyers.

So far, most publishers have confined themselves to selling single issues, in essence, virtual newsstand sales.

Apple also asks publishers not to charge for any content that is available for free elsewhere -- a serious issue, since most big publishers make at least some of their content available for free on the Web. It's not clear how The Washington Post has addressed the Apple requirement.

The newspaper has pointed to exclusive iPad content and additional features like "Live Topics," which provides a combination of news, commentary, and aggregated social media conversations, including comments and Twitter feeds from public figures, multimedia and user engagement around the top handful of issues of the day.

But WaPo would still appear to be charging for content that is free online, at least in part. The publisher has made no mention of charging for access to the Web site, which merely requires users to register for free access.

In September, rumors circulated that Apple was planning to partner with major publishers to offer paid digital newspaper subscriptions, but little has been heard about these plans since. When the iPad launched in April, USA Today offered free digital subscriptions with support from corporate sponsors.

Currently, the iPad "news" category includes 505 apps, but only 16 or 3.2% are from newspapers, and about half are for foreign publications. One app, "Newspapers," offers access to some content from over 4,000 local newspapers around the world, but the content is not formatted or tailored for the device.

Another, iActu, offers selections from 500 newspapers internationally. There are also several apps that aggregate headlines, front pages, or RSS feeds from prominent newspapers, but without additional content.