'The Daily' App Should Be a Lifestyle Product

23.11.2010
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch is joining forces with Apple to launch a new iPad-only newspaper called The Daily. This is a whole new newspaper in the form of , designed to exploit the touch-friendliness and multimedia nature of the iPad, with journalistic content not found anywhere else.

The an investment of $30 million in The Daily and a staff of 100. This is small compared to some newspapers, and there are apparently no newsdesks overseas or even in Washington, D.C.

Although details are still mere rumors, it seems users will subscribe each week for 99 cents. Mr Murdoch has said that The Daily is his "No. 1 most exciting project," and believes the in the coming years. The Guardian newspaper in the U.K. that say Murdoch expects to see an iPad in every home.

While I was generally optimistic when I heard the news about The Daily, that last comment made me wonder if Murdoch isn't heading for another online disaster (, OK?).

If Murdoch expects an then he totally misunderstands Apple's market positioning. Apple products are high-priced, aspirational, and exclusive. Apple isn't Microsoft. Once upon a time Bill Gates might have wanted a PC on every desk, but Apple's voodoo simply wouldn't work if iPads were as commonplace as toasters.

Drill down into the The Daily app concept, and more questions quickly arise. What does the iPad offer that's so useful to a newspaper app? In particular, what technology does an iPad have that can't be found on a standard Website? Based on technical format alone, can The Daily be compelling enough for subscribers? Why shouldn't they simply browse to any news Website, for free?