Fri 28th of May, filed under Mobile Marketing
The iPad version of Wired, the influential technology magazine, sold 24,000 copies on its first day. The application, which is available for $5 (£3.40) per issue, garnered critical acclaim for its innovative use the iPad's features.
The virtual copy of the magazine, which includes video footage and offers the opportunity for user interaction, is one of the first publications to be made available on the hardware. The magazine sells around 82,000 hardcopies per month in the United States alone.
Writing on the Wired blog, John C Abell, the New York Bureau chief, said that the initial signs for future iPad editions were promising.
"It’s difficult to put that number [24,000] in context, because there aren’t many iPad magazine apps yet," he commented.
"The real test for Wired magazine (and everyone else) will be to continue to meet high reader expectations once any novelty aspect wears off, and to come up with a subscription model as quickly as possible," Abell added.
In related news, the iPad launched today in the United Kingdom. The hardware, which was initially set to be released in April, was in demand with want-to-be owners, many of whom queued from 2am to ensure their purchase.
Speaking to the Guardian, British institution Steven Fry commented on the excitement surrounding the launch.
"I'm sure a lot of people will mock it as being some sort of pseudo-religious or cult atmosphere, but it's just genuine enthusiasm."
