Newsstand platform service provider and publisher Mygazines has said ?no? to applications and launched a mobile interface for all of its digital publications in an effort to give consumers easy and ubiquitous access to content.

The mobile version of the publication can be accessed via the same publication?s URL. Mygazines' system automatically recognizes the mobile device.

?We want to allow our publisher?s content to be accessible anywhere and everywhere,? said Yoav Schwartz, CEO of Mygazines, Toronto. ?If a person receives an email with a link to the latest issue of Relevant, then he or she can click on that link and open the magazine on whatever device they want ? you can?t do that with an app.

?If I?m a publisher and sending out e-delivery to my subscribers, I want them to start engaging right away,? he said. ?With a traditional app, it?s up to the user to then either download or install an app or visit the app to access the content.

?With this hybrid mobile-Web-app approach we?ve blurred the lines of how rich media can be delivered to users on a mobile device.?

Mygazines offers publishers a digital tool for reducing distribution costs and delivers thousands of publications to more than 200 countries worldwide.

The company has several magazines and other publications on its newsstand such as Los Angeles Lakers Magazine, Relevant Magazine and Harris Publishing magazines.

Mobile for all
The mobile interface was designed to keep many of Mygazines' online features such as page flipping, article lists, social bookmarking, email sharing, page thumbnails, zoom, internal page links and Web site links.

Consumers can access a text-only option.

Because Mygazines has a wide variety of magazines and other publications using the technology, Mr. Schwartz said the focus was to create a user friendly application that any consumer can use. 

The new mobile offerings are being promoted at http://www.mygazines.com/mobile and http://www.mygazines.net. It is up to the other publishers whether they promote it via Mygazines' built-in edelivery and subscription management features to reach subscribers and promote the mobile offerings.

More eyeballs on mobile
The mobile version of each publication will retain all advertisements and links.

Publishers are already seeing higher ad rates for their digital editions, according to Mygazines.

Mr. Schwartz said the goal of launching mobile versions of publications is to reach and engage subscribers on any device.

?Apps are great, don?t get me wrong,? Mr. Schwartz said. ?But they?re a closed environment.

?As a user I have to download a specific app ? which I have to find in the app store for my particular device,? he said. ?Then I have to navigate only what?s available to me within that interface.

?With so many devices, every publisher would essentially need their own app for each device. Mygazines Mobile solved that ? one platform ? universal reach.?