iPad edition of GQ’s Men of the Year magazine nets the firm just $1,000
THE roaring success of Apple’s iPad has sent publishers into a frenzy as they attempt to cash in on the new technology.
But a recent venture by GQ proves it is not necessarily the next stage of evolution for the print media industry.
The magazine produced a special iPad edition of its annual Men of the Year list, released in December.
But GQ publisher Pete Hunsinger has revealed that the $2.99 priced magazine sold just 365 copies, meaning it reaped just a shade over $1,000 (£700) for the project.
The publisher said the issue was not a total disaster as it had no printing or postage costs associated with it.
However, it will send a warning sign to other publishers hoping the rise of the tablet computer will automatically offer a lucrative new revenue stream.
A series of glossy magazines are planning a launch on the format in the coming months, including Glamour, the New Yorker and Wired.
Huge demand for Apple’s latest must-have gadget has led to record pre-orders.
The initial UK release – originally slated for a month ago – was scrapped after huge demand for the product in the US.
Apple shifted more than one million units in less than a month, far outselling its iPhone, which took 74 days to reach the milestone.