It was revealed this week that publisher Future and the Press Association (PA) have partnered to launch a new mobile and tablet app. But not just any old news app, oh no, this app is special. This app will provide all the content you could possibly need on the subject that has the whole nation, nay world, holding their breath. That’s right... it’s the Royal Baby app!
*Slams head against nearest brick wall*
According to the press release, the app ‘will feature live updates from the Press Association, ensuring all the latest news on the most anticipated baby of recent years is delivered straight to your device, as well as featuring exclusive photography of the most famous family in Britain.’ You may be pleased to know that you can get the latest news, as well as an update on the Twitter rumours surrounding the royal bundle-of-joy, all for free. If that isn’t enough for you and you feel you need a bit of background information to ascertain the kind of parents Kate and William will make, then you can pay 69p for extra chapters revealing necessary information on topics such as, the relationship Princess Diana had with her sons or Prince William’s relationship with Kate.
My opinion on this may be slightly skewed given that I am fairly indifferent to the Royal Family and (scandalously) am reaching near exasperation with ‘baby watch’, but is this really necessary? While I can see that, for some, having an app that combines all of the breaking news on the topic in one place might be attractive; surely the paid-for chapters are a little silly and, dare I say it, wrong? We all know that the publishing industry is having a pretty hard time and needs to make money where it can but I can’t help but feel this is not only exploiting Kate, William and their unborn child, but also the public whose thirst for gossip on the new family is seemingly unquenchable (this being a case in point). I fear that anyone who downloads these chapters is going to be sorely disappointed when they realise the content is already public knowledge.
Of course, there is every chance that this is simply a PR stunt and not a serious money making scheme. I’m hoping it’s the former, rather than a sign of things to come or we could be headed down a very slippery slope.
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