Apple News+ has many roadblocks in its path to become a 'digital equivalent of a newsstand'

Among a slew of subscription services, Apple announced its premium News subscription service during their keynote event earlier this week.

The service bundles over 300 magazines and digital news subscriptions at just $10. Apple’s primary focus here is revenue, which is one of the primary reasons why publishers are jumping at the opportunity to partner with Apple News+. But all doesn't seem rosy.

Bad news for publications

By signing up with Apple’s latest news subscription service, publishers render their subscriptions unnecessary in exchange for a tiny slice of $10 per month that Apple charges users for unlimited reading.

By partnering with Apple News+, news publishers will hope to gain exposure to new audiences.

But look at it this way, potential new or existing subscribers will no longer see value in opting for a direct monthly fee to occasionally access top content.

A $10 a month all-you-can-read buffet is good news for readers - or at least it sounds like one on paper. But this could accelerate the demise of independent outlets that serve as unbiased watchdogs and storytellers.

For publications, Apple News+ can be quite terrifying, though users will find many content options and a refreshing change from keeping track of multiple subscriptions.

Digital newsstand with limited news

According to Apple CEO Tim Cook, Apple News+ is intended to replace the feeling of being at a newsstand.

But if Apple’s new service is supposed to be the digital equivalent of a newsstand, then Apple will undoubtedly need to improve on its news offerings.

While Apple News+ provides access to over 300 publications from different verticals, but only three major newspapers are enlisted on the services – Los Angeles Times, Toronto Star and The Wall Street Journal.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering Apple’s News service inherits the majority of its content from Texture, the ‘Netflix for magazines’.

The approach of focusing on individual articles is not how most news subscriptions function, which could be why Apple hasn’t made any significant headway in brokering deals or news content.