Magazine service Zinio says it is preparing an updated iPad app, marking a transition to v2.0. Significantly the upgrade will support in-app purchases, including not just single or back issues, but also products in magazines, and most importantly subscriptions. Most magazines with in-app subscription options are offered as separate downloads on the App Store; Zinio hosts over 4,500 publications, such as Harpers and The Economist.
Zinio may run into an unusual conflict with Apple come September. Then Apple is expected to launch iOS 5, for which one of the main features will be the Newsstand. This will serve much the same purpose as Zinio’s app, including offering in-app subscriptions, with the additional benefit of background issue downloads. Zinio may however be able to cover a broader array of publications, since its content does not require special formatting.
Other planned improvements to the app include a “cleaner,” faster interface, and renameable bookmarks, which let people jump directly to a particular story. The library is being enhanced with arrows that mark issues that have been bought but not downloaded; this allows a person to make sure an issue is ready for offline reading.
The Zinio app is a free download from the App Store. It is not clear, though, when the v2.0 update will go live.
