Mobile Magazine Spells Success For Future
Future Publishing’s flagship computing magazine, PC Plus, has proclaimed a recent trial, which enabled readers to view content via their mobile phones, as a success following 35,000 downloads in just four months.
The year long trial delivers a special java-based edition of PC Plus to mobile phones, a move which Future claims continues its commitment to testing new methods of content delivery across a wide range of experimental channels.
The PC Plus mobile edition is currently available free of charge to java-enabled mobile phones, with users simply required to sign up to Three O Clock, a mobile entertainment company that delivers java magazines via their internet portal.
The mobile edition features 250 words on each page, to enable easy viewing on a mobile handset, and takes its lead from the printed version of the magazine, covering the latest computing news, alongside reviews and technology features.
Commenting on the success of the trial, Ian Robson, Editor of PC Plus said: “We’ve been very impressed with the results so far and I’m delighted that PC Plus has been able to trial this technology for Future. We’ve seen some massive improvements to the service since we launched last September. Things are improving all the time and download figures are still increasing, thanks to a new easier to read layout, and faster download and opening times.”
David Maher-Roberts, publishing director of Future’s New Media Group, is responsible for the company’s on-going research and development into digital delivery channels. He said: “Reaching 35,000 downloads in just four months is an impressive figure for this relatively untested method of delivery, and we can say that in the case of PC Plus our trial has been a real success. We’ve already noticed that a large number of these downloads came from outside of the UK, which serves to increase awareness of the monthly print edition of the magazine. These strong results mean we are paying closer attention to the trial, and are looking at the commercial opportunities this channel can open up.”
Last year Future successfully trialled the world’s first paperless consumer magazine, BroadbandNow!, delivered to broadband users as a PDF file and offering live video and audio, alongside editorial and contemporary magazine design principles (see Future Launches World’s First Ever Paperless Magazine).
Future Publishing: 01225 442 244 www.futurenet.com
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