News Outlets Circle Tablet
Several major news organizations are lining up behind a new tablet device from Samsung Electronics Co. built on Google Inc. (GOOG) software, in order to broaden mobile readership beyond owners of Apple Inc. (AAPL) popular iPad.
New York Times Co. (NYT) and News Corp.’s (NWS) Wall Street Journal will offer software applications for Samsung’s Galaxy Tab, which goes on sale later this year, according to people familiar with the matter. Gannett Co.’s USA Today also is developing a software application, the publisher said.
The device, announced in September, is one of the most highly anticipated tablet launches since the iPad in part because it is built on Google’s Android operating system, which is expected to psprower a wave of new tablets. Publishers are hoping that the applications they are building for the Galaxy can be easily adapted to other forthcoming Android devices, say people familiar with the matter.
