The Telegraph and Sky News may each operate subscription iPad outlets – but, with latest revisions to their mobile offerings, the two news providers’ smartphone strategies are diverging.
Telegraph Media Group, whose current iPhone and Android apps are free, will shortly unveil replacements that will be “free” only to Telegraph print subscribers (£7 per week) and iPad subscribers (£9.99 per month).
Those who want only the mobile app will get a one-month free trial before a mobile-only fee kicks in, but The Telegraph is not disclosing that pricepoint until release in the next few weeks.
New features include a deal with ESPN (NYSE: DIS), whose own Goals mobile app shows Premier League goal highlight videos, to include the same.
No Telegraph web fee has yet been implemented despite 2011 chatter.
Meanwhile, Sky News has upgraded its iPhone app with incremental feature enhancements but no new business strategy.
The broadcaster’s iPad big cousin requires a £4.99 per month subscription or a BSkyB (NYSE: BSY) satellite account. But the upgraded iPhone app remains free.
The new one includes galleries, timelines, interactive graphs, a technology news section and article swiping.
The Telegraph’s strategy is a full realisation of a model its counterpart Guardian also operates but doesn’t execute as full as it might. Although The Guardian’s iPhone app requires subscription, Guardian advertising promotes its free mobile website and not the app.