After 30 years in print, PCWorld is going digital-only in the United States. Parent company IDG confirmed to Mashable that the August issue will be its last in printed form.
PCWorld concentrates on reviews of PCs, smartphones and other hardware, as well as coverage of software and the Internet. The monthly magazine has a circulation in the U.S. of 355,000 as of last December. The magazine is edited by Jon Phillips, who left Wired to assume the role last year.
The move comes five years after rival PCMag made the same decision, along with a host of other news-focused magazines, including U.S. News and World Report and Newsweek. Indeed, it's somewhat surprising that the change is coming so late, but PCWorld says the transition has been underway for years. As such, no employees are being laid off.
"Both technology users and marketers have led the way in the shift from print to online and our decision to end 30 years of PCWorld print publications reflects their preferences," Bob Carrigan, CEO of IDG Communications, wrote in an e-mailed statement. Print staff will instead focus on optimizing its digital editions, which are available for iPhones, iPads, Android smartphones and tablets, and Macs and PCs. Current print subscribers are being asked to convert their subscriptions to digital by registering online before August 21.
PCWorld's website will continue to operate as is. IDG will also continue to publish the more than 15 international editions of PCWorld in print.