• by Gavin O'Malley , Staff Writer @mp_gavin, July 10, 2012

Marking a major move forward for the publisher consortium, Next Issue Media’s tablet newsstand is ready for the iPad.
 
Launched in April -- by Conde Nast, Hearst, Meredith, News Corp. and Time Inc. -- the digital newsstand (carrying everything from People and Sports Illustrated to The New Yorker and Vanity Fair) was only available on Android-supported devices.
 
“But now, Next Issue is taking things to the next level with the introduction of its app on the iPad, with 39 titles ready immediately and more promised to be added to the library later this year,” CNet writes.
 
“If you're not familiar with the way Next Issue works, it's angling to be the Netflix of digital magazines, with a monthly subscription getting you unfettered access,” Engadget explains. “In brief, the fees break down to $10 per month for all the monthly and biweekly mags, and $15 if you want all that plus access to tabloids and other weeklies.”
 
“Magazine fans, rejoice,” TechCrunch enthuses. “Next Issue Media, probably the easiest and most economical way for you to read your favorite titles, is now available on the iPad.”
 
That said, “though an intriguing concept, Next Issue is a tough sell for the budget-conscious magazine consumer,” Mashable’s Lauren Indvik cautions.
 
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’s 2010 Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average American household spends $100 per year on reading materials, a category that includes books, newspapers and magazines. That obviously exceeds Next Issue’s annual fee options of $120 or $180.
 
Adds Indvik: “Beyond those who hold a subscription to The Economist -- which is, notably, not included in Next Issue’s package -- I know of no one who spends more than $120 per year on magazines.”