“The tabloid-size print edition of the magazine was so well received, offering the i experience in digital form was the next logical step,” says City Press general manager Minette Ferreira. “Newspaper and magazine publishing is such a dynamic environment, we know that we need to understand and cater to the needs of our readers. A large part of our market is crying out for a digital version of the brand.”

i magazine, launched in October 2011 as part of City Press’ value offering to its growing readership, is a lifestyle brand that covers celebrity, features, fashion and food. “Our readers are now demanding content that is beyond the two-dimensional,” says Ferreira. “They want an experience that they can read, watch, touch and share.”

New Media Publishing, publishers of the print edition of i, has developed the app version of the magazine. “In a digital version, readers expect more,” says content director Clare O’Donoghue. “The app version of i is more interactive – it features rich visuals and audio-visual experiences. In some instances, it will deliver entirely unique content, but at all times, it will reflect the print edition’s editorial soul.”

The app, which was approved by Apple with minor adjustments, has been designed for “touch, tap and swipe”, says Kamiel Ebrahim, group art director for New Media. “The app offers another consumer experience, so it has to be innovative and exciting in its editorial and art direction. This is a true multi-media package of curated content – a selection of edited news, videos, sound and information that really matters to this audience.”

App users will receive regular notifications of content updates.

“The app is also a way for i to reach a national audience,” adds Ferreira, “since currently i magazine is only available to City Press readers in Gauteng and KZN. This is a way for them to experience the magazine for the first time and through a rich media experience.”