The Guardian's iPhone app: 70,000 downloads in a month

It’s always interesting to see how mainstream media gets on with it’s mobile applications strategy. Kudos to The Guardian who’ve attracted 70,000 downloads in under a month. And that’s at £2.39 at time. Therefore the app has grossed £167,300 of which The Guardian gets approximately £117,000. Assume those stats stay the same across the year and the iPhone app will generate £1.4m in download sales.

Here’s a few words from Emily Bell, Director of Digital Content, Guardian News & Media:

“We are thrilled with our download figures for the first month of the app. The feedback we have received from users has been excellent, yet also extremely informative in terms of features and functionality that can be improved in the future. Over the Christmas break the app became available in many areas of mainland Europe, as well as in Canada and Australia for the first time, so we hope our global audiences will enjoy using the app as well.”

I actually think they should consider moving to a per-month charging basis. I really do get a heck of a lot of value from The Guardian iPhone app. It is, without doubt, one of the best newspaper apps I’ve ever used. I particularly like the way I can ‘programme’ the app’s frontpage with the news that I want to get to first. It’s great when you’re in the pub or on the train and want to have a browse around what’s been going on.

Good work everyone at The Guardian!

You can download the app here: http://www.itunes.com/apps/theguardian