The Washington Post has just launched an app for the iPad, which is free until mid-February 2011, according to a press release. The app requires registration.

"The Washington Post App for iPad is more than just an extension of our paper or website. It's an innovative, portable experience with our content that enables users to interact in a multi-dimensional way. Users can take full advantage of the experience that the iPad offers through our rich destination pages that provide everything a reader would want around a topic in one comprehensive place," said Raju Narisetti, managing editor, The Washington Post.

A "distinctive component" of the app, according to the paper, is Live Topics. This focuses on the top three to five issues of the day and aggregates news, commentary, social media, multimedia and user engagement around these. Washington Post stories, selected headline from around the web, Facebook comments and Twitter feeds are all included. The feature is designed "to draw users in to share their comments and opinions about key topics of the day that are relevant to them and the world at large," the paper said.

The app offers "comprehensive content" and the ability to comment and share stories via email, Facebook and Twitter. Stories can be saved for offline reading.

After the free period expires in February, print subscribers will be charged $0.99 a month and non-subscribers $3.99 a month. This compares to £9.99 for the Times of London, or $1.99 for the New York Post, for example.

Launching an iPad app is becoming an essential step for news organisations as the device continues to dominate the tablet market, with Apple boasting a 95% share. Poynter's Damon Kiesow argues, however, that the subscription options are currently far too complicated and there is a need for a one-stop iTunes for news through which publications could sell their products simply.

Source: Washington Post