Backlash against Apple’s Newsstand gains momentum

by D.B. Hebbard 

Developers and publishers question the merits of Newsstand publishing as discoverability problems mount (and sales drop)

In the past I’ve criticized the organization, search capability and management of the Apple Newsstand before, but the posts rarely gained much traction. But Marko Karppinen of the Finish software company Ritchie (its publishing platform is called Maggio) wrote last week about why publishers should avoid the Apple Newsstand and his post was picked up by Daring Fireball’s John Gruber – that means wide exposure. Karppinen’s position is that the Newsstand is where publication apps go to die, undiscovered. His position is that publishers should launch their apps as stand-alone apps, outside the Newsstand.

There is a lot of merit to the argument, the biggest one being that launching an app outside the Newsstand does not preclude one from one day moving the app into the Newsstand if you want. But Karppinen’s argument against the Newsstand is incredibly weak. Basically it boils down to the fact that the Newsstand is a folder. This is true. In fact, that is basically all the Newsstand is. 

The problem with the argument can be seen on any iOS device – its generally filled with folders. My iPhone has 19 folders with apps in them – and that doesn’t count the Newsstand. My iPad has 31 folders on it. READ THE ARTICLE