Some publishers have been turning their monthly magazines in to half-yearly “books” – spinning their individual expertise out in to more static “guides” – for some time.
But mostly they have remained sold alongside their monthly counterparts on newsagent shelves.
Now Stevie Spring-led Future will start selling some of its magbooks as though they really are books – through iBooks and Amazon.
Two new titles – Computer Arts Presents: The Designer’s Guide to Going Freelance (£7.99; Amazon, iBooks) and Your Family Tree: Skeletons in the Cupboard (£4.99; Amazon).
These aren’t just print magbooks Future is selling digitally – these are new titles, each spun off from a monthly print sibling.
E-books is a fast-growing new retail segment, but there isn’t really a strong equivalent channel for magazines (excepting Apple’s new Newsstand), so this seems like a good move.