3 ms·
This is exactly what Readability [1] was doing, really well - from a user's perspective - but they couldn't make the business model work. They got lots of payin
by oneeyedpigeon 11y ago
This is exactly what Readability [1] was doing, really well - from a user's perspective - but they couldn't make the business model work. They got lots of paying readers on-board, but couldn't get publishers involved.
Maybe they were just s few years too early. As you say, now that publishers are slowly awakening from their slumber, they'll be more willing to give it a go.
[1] https://www.readability.com/ https://www.readability.com/
- irq-1 11y agoThe publishers can't give up control of pricing. If a third-party gatekeeper gains enough traction they'll control pricing, by making the market, and be able to sway the consumers choices. (Think iTunes with music or Amazon with book publishers.) If publishers work with any micro-payment system they'll be competing on a penny-per-article basis, and not be able to pressure users into paying $4/mo for what's mostly an unwanted product.