Report: Apple Plans Digital Newspaper Subscriptions

Apple is working out a deal with newspaper publishers for a digital subscription service on its various i-gadgets, industry sources tell the San Jose Mercury News. Apple, as usual, isn't saying anything, but the Mercury News talks to one industry observer who predicts that Steve Jobs would take a 30% cut from subscriptions, plus 40% from any ads generated by the newspaper apps. And remember this is all speculation, warns the Columbia Journalism Review.

Because of Apple's obsession with security, we have to rely on thinly sourced stories like this one to get our fix of company news. "And if you want my guess (pure speculation—labeled as such!) I’d say newspapers won’t give Steve Jobs 30% cut," writes Ryan Chittum. "Far be it from me to overestimate the business prowess and intelligence of newspaper executives, but surely they’re not so dumb as to give him nearly a third of a recurring revenue stream." (For more iPad doings, click here.)