Next Issue becomes Texture, changing how we read digital magazines
Next Issue Media has announced some big changes to the company’s popular magazine app, including a name change. Texture, formerly Next Issue, arrives across multiple platforms on Thursday, Oct. 1.
First introduced for iPad in July 2012, Next Issue offers unlimited digital access to weekly and monthly magazines, including Sports Illustrated, Entertainment Weekly, and Vogue.
What has changed as Next Issue becomes Texture? As Apple might say, everything. With Texture, Next Issue Media has reimagined how people read and consume digital magazines. Gone are the days when reading a magazine cover to cover was necessary. Now, articles you’re mostly likely to enjoy are just a tap away thanks to Texture’s new curation tools.
Central to this change is a new section called Collections. Updated daily, Collections feature content found across Texture’s entire magazine library, with each article organized around a theme. Recent themes have included: “Prince Harry Turns 31,” “Woman Crush Wednesday,” and “Quick Reads: The Lists.”
As John Loughlin, CEO, Next Issue Media notes:
People go to their known and trusted sources for news and entertainment, but they also love to discover stories that are off their radar. That’s what we built into Texture. Whether dishing up Vanity Fair’s ‘Call Me Caitlyn’ cover story before the rest of the world, or delivering the hotly anticipated ESPN The Magazine’s Body Issue days in advance, we’re enhancing their ability to discover the finest journalism, narratives, photo essays, product and travel reviews, recipes and more, selected by top editors, all in a way that fits seamlessly into their lives.
Under New & Noteworthy, you’ll find stories that are making news, and topics that are trending in social media. With Search & Top Stories, users can look for information from Texture’s 500,000 story archive. Inside Top Stories, you’ll find what’s being read by other subscribers, across the whole catalog or within specific categories.
Wish to save interesting articles for offline use? Fill up My Collections. You can also use this tool to share content with friends. Finally, with First Access, readers can find some of the hottest features before they even hit newsstands thanks to an exclusive agreement between Texture and leading publishers.
Still like reading magazines cover to cover? Don’t worry, this functionality isn’t going anywhere, and still plays a significant role in Texture.
I’ve been a Next Issue subscriber since the beginning. And honestly, I was worried when I first heard about the changes. In practice, these changes are remarkable. In fact, since receiving an advance copy of Texture last week, my reading time has increased. I’m also reading content from more magazines.
Texture subscriptions start at $9.99/month and are available on iOS, Android, and Windows 8 devices, for download through the App Store, Google Play, and Windows Store. Again, the Texture update is set to arrive no later than tomorrow, Oct. 1. It is available in some App Stores now.
