Quark’s App Studio is targeted at larger publications using the Quark Publishing System and includes tools to custom design and test iPad-compatible magazine apps, along with support for adding multimedia and interactive features to magazine issues. The package includes the Quark iPad starter application to use as a template for building custom magazine apps, interactive content design XTensions for QuarkXPress, Web-based automated issue design tools, and Web-based services for managing iPad apps, publications and issues.
Quark intros iPad magazine design tools
QPS customers can download and use App Studio for free, but once they’re ready to submit a magazine app to Apple’s App Store, they’ll have to pay US$4,000 to Quark for their application and up to $349 per magazine issue published. Publishing prices go down based on how many issue licenses companies purchase at the same time.
The startup costs include an unlimited license for building iPad apps, and are clearly priced for big time publishers.
For companies that aren’t using QPS, Quark also announced its iPad Publishing Service for QuarkXPress 8.5. The service includes building your iPad magazine app, conversion of QuarkXPress files into magazine issue files, and publication subscriber management.
Building your iPad app costs $499, converting QuarkXPress documents into compatible magazine files costs $499 per issue, and up to $349 for each issue published.
The company plans to roll the App Studio features into QuarkXPress at some point, but didn’t say when that would happen or what form those features would take. Quark’s iPad Publishing System will be available in February.