Apple’s Newsstand for iOS5 was launched in the UK on October 2011, and a number of mainstream consumer magazine publishers have released digital editions of their magazines into this mobile marketplace, part of Apple’s App Store.

Future has been a pioneer in this early migration period – of the top 100 highest-grossing Newsstand titles in the UK, there are over 20 Future magazine apps at the time of writing. Significantly, Future has seen an impressive 8.2 million downloads of free preview issues globally since Newsstand launched, underlining the idea that mobile devices are the key growth area for publishers.

Future’s UK no.1 magazine app for technology fans, T3: iPad Edition, created using the innovative Woodwing platform; Tap! for iPad, developed with Future’s in-house Folio software and the beautiful Guitarist Deluxe, alongside Good Food, GQ, National Geographic and Empire have all performed well since launch.

Since the beginning of printed publishing advertisement strategy has been one of the turnkeys together with content strategy. With the huge amount of content flowing from web pages, blind advertisement networks introduced a new strategy, which may not fit completely in the revenue model of digital magazines, or at least not like it could fit on a generic mobile application.

Digital magazines are applications indeed, but there is a bid difference between an application user and a reader. A magazine is a multi part content vehicle which is made of many emotional singularities. Content, Brand, design, media, consistency are just some of the components to which the readers react. Most of the readers feel loyal to their preferred magazine and are willing to subscribe, to be part of a community and with an idea of allegiance.