Refresh Mobile has launched a service for magazine publishers to put their content on mobile phones…called Mobizines. There’s already a couple of big publishing houses on board, Condé Nast and ITV,
“Mobizines allow mobile phone users to receive ‘snack sized’ versions of their favourite magazines rich format…Mobizines are typically made up of 4 sections and each of these sections contains 5 stories.” It uses a downloadable program to get and read the articles which works on 50 handsets.
According to the article: “The customer can pay per edition along with a one off fee to download the software reader. The cost per edition varies by network but on average costs between 3 and 10p.”
On the Mobizine website it says that “Refresh Mobile works to ensure that the customer can receive the best content in an easy to read format for minimal network operator charges of only 2-5p.”
So I’m not sure if the publishers tack on a few more cents to get a profit, or whether they can charge a pound or so, or whether they make money off advertising in the mobizines.
This will probably be a good way for certain companies to advertise to their target audiences on mobile phones. I’ve seen women buy magazines such as Cosmopolitan, sit down at a table to have lunch and look at the ads. When I asked if they were going to read the articles they replied “later, if I have time”. So I think a good quality ad from a fashion house in a Mobizine from Conde Nast will usually be considered added value…