Fairfax Metro Media Launches SMH and The Age Android apps

Announcement posted by Access Public Relations 09 Jul 2012

Fairfax Metro Media has today launched SMH and The Age Android tablet apps, its first news apps built specifically for tablets using the Android operating system.

From today, a beta version on the SMH and The Age apps will be available to users of Android tablets from manufacturers’ including Samsung, Motorola and Asus. They will be able to download and view SMH and The Age in an app format similar to the award-winning SMH and The Age iPad* apps.

Users will receive access to daily and weekly sections, as well as Sudoku and weather.

“We’ve developed these new apps to meet the demands of the fast-growing Android market,” Mobile Director, Metro Mastheads, Rick Gleave said.

“The launch today of these apps will enable us to engage with Fairfax audiences across Android tablet devices and to take commercial advantage of this rapidly expanding segment by offering increased tablet inventory for advertisers.”

According to research by Telsyte**, 2.6 million Australians are already using a tablet device and more than 11 million are forecast to be using one by 2016. More than 1.4 million media tablets were sold in Australia in 2011, representing an annual growth rate of more than 330 per cent.

Android devices currently account for about 30 per cent of tablet sales.

From today, the SMH and The Age apps will be available for download from the Google Play Store , and can be used on operating systems 3.1 and 3.2 for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, the Motorola Xoom and the Asus Eee Pad Transformer 201.

*iPad is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
** Source: Telsyte Australian media tablet study 2012

About Fairfax Media
Fairfax Media is a leading multi-platform media company in Australasia with metropolitan, rural and regional publications and websites across Australia and New Zealand. Fairfax Media publishes the highly respected metropolitan publications The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age along with, Australia’s leading online news websites smh.com.au, theage.com.au, Brisbanetimes.com.au and WAtoday.com.au. Other niche websites include the popular parenting website Essentialbaby.com.au and the youth site TheVine.com.au. The company has a large stable of successful websites in key vertical markets including New Zealand’s largest website, TradeMe.co.nz, RSVP.com.au, Stayz.com.au, InvestSmart.com.au, OMG, Australian Property Monitors, Commerce Australia, TenderLink and the recently acquired Occupancy. Fairfax Media also has a strong classified advertising business with print and online publications including: Drive, MyCareer, and Domain.