Harper's magazine, which has been ambivalent about joining the digital revolution, is releasing its first app this week.
David Jacobs, the CEO of 29th Street Publishing, the developer of the app, says it will hit the App Store on Friday. An Android version will come later on. Harper's, which launched in 1850, plans to offer the new app alongside an iPad-ready version of the magazine from Zinio that has been available for years. The title will also be available on Apple's Newsstand for $21.99.
[seealso slug="harpers-magazine-digital-revolution"]
For most magazines, releasing an app isn't a big deal, but Harper's has taken a walled-garden approach to offering its digital content. Most content on Harper's website is only available to subscribers. The approach differs greatly from The Atlantic, a longtime rival that gives away all of its digital content and has embraced a pageview-driven business model with its Atlantic Wire sub-brand. The Atantic claims that its affiliated sites bring in about 20 million unique visitors a month. Harper's doesn't disclose its traffic numbers.