Apple wants to change the way television, news, and books are distributed once and for all, and it's going to use its soon to be unveiled tablet to try and do it. That's according to a Wall Street Journal article citing what seems to be several unnamed sources "familiar with the situation." The Cupertino powerhouse has reportedly been in contact with television networks as well as magazine, newspaper, book, and textbook publishers for some time now in hopes of giving the tablet a purpose and not just a cool piece of hardware.
Apple's vision is supposedly of a tablet in every home—a shared device between family members that allow them to quickly check their e-mail or read the news. The device, which will sport a virtual keyboard, could have virtual sticky notes to leave for other family members or user identification using the device's built-in camera. Although it's unclear whether these features will make it into the final product, they do seem to have a family-oriented focus.
Subscriptions may also be the way in which Apple entices new content publishers into getting on board. Newspapers are pretty straightforward, but Apple has supposedly been floating a "best of TV" scenario to the major networks too. If this model were to be realized, it would include a "bundled" subscription that would offer users on-demand options from participating networks. Each network would include four to six shows each, with revenue likely being shared between the networks.
Apple has also been in contact with textbook publishers in hopes of making its way back into higher education. (This could be a breath of fresh air for many university students who routinely buy expensive textbooks at the beginning of a semester only to sell them back four months later at a fraction of the cost.) A subscription model for textbooks has the potential to be quite popular, and with the digital nature of the texts, it would be rather simple to push newer editions. It seems logical that an outright purchase option would also be made available for those who wish to keep their texts after the class ended, too. Additionally, making sure students receive the right books would be simpler with major-specific bundles.
The company has also been working with EA to show off the tablet's gaming potential. With all of this content being available for the device, Apple is hoping that one will end up in your home—but that one won't be enough because everyone will have a use for it.
