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iosnewsstand-kit

Understanding Newsstand App


I have a big question about how newsstand works. When you have to create a new magazine(issue), how do you do it?

I mean, Do I have to implement new code for each magazine (with new views and new view controllers) which doesn't look the same as the others and has interactive content? In this case, how do I add/upload/integrate them to my newsstand app which is already in the market?

In the case that It doesn't work in this way, How does it work?

Thank you very much in advance.


Solution

  • Your question really goes to the heart of how Apple has chosen to implement Newsstand. Basically, there are three possibilities for using Newsstand: use image/pdf content, use HTML5 content, and use the CoreText native API.

    I take it from what you are saying that you would like to use the CoreText API. This is difficult to do in the Newsstand framework for the reason you suggest: you really are not supposed to upload a whole new app with each edition.

    There are two possible solutions. The first is simply not to use Newsstand. Instead you can publish your magazine as an app, and simply upload a new app for each edition. This means you miss out on things such as subscriptions and the "double-listing" promotion of Newsstand, but you can make high-quality, native, custom interfaces.

    The second is to do what I am in the process of doing right now, which is to develop something like an XML encoding that when loaded into your base app will generate the kind of interface you want.

    At least that is my analysis so far. I would be so pleased to be told I'm wrong, really. But I do think this is one of those cases where Apple hasn't really thought through what they are offering. Maybe next year it will get better!