Content
Digital newsstands allow users to download content to phones, tablets or other devices. The magazine pages are presented as PDFs that can be scrolled through. Once a magazine is purchased and added to their personal user page, the user can look through the entire magazine.
Users can choose from featured magazines on the main page of the digital newsstand app or search for specific magazines according to categories. Magazines issues that are often used are usually saved to the favorites menu. Users can use a mouse to turn the pages of a digital magazine or click on the navigation buttons under magazine. Many digital newsstands also allow tools that allow users to zoom into the digital magazine to get a better view of the text.
Some digital newsstands allow users to self-publish magazines. The electronic publishing platform Issuu allows users to upload content for others to download and read, with some functionality available on a subscription basis.
Digital newsstands appeal to a global market, creating an interactive reading experience. As many publications began to produce content exclusively for online markets, newsstand relevancy increased and they were placed prominently in major operating systems and web-based systems. This is also in part due to the much lower costs of publishing in the absence of traditional production costs such as printing and distribution.
Evolving from the concept of a traditional newsstand, they often compete with their brick and mortar counterparts. Some magazines, such as Top Gear, are printed as both a paper copy and a digital magazine to attract different audiences.