Mint tests tablet market with iPad app

Mint is dipping its toes in the tablet market with the launch of its special iPad app - The Mint on the Decade. The app was launched to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the publication on February 1, 2011.

The app is a free interactive application available on the iPad which presents the highlights of the last decade in the form of rich images, videos and panorama. It covers the major events and occurrences in the fields of art, politics, sports and business.

R Sukumar, editor, Mint, said on the development, "Keeping the Mint readers in mind, we have put together articles from our own writers and editors, as well as experts from various fields, in the form of an iPad application." He further added that unlike other products that move from the print media to the web, this edition was created and designed specifically for the iPad. Adobe has partnered with Hindustan Times for this application, to provide the digital publishing platform.

Commenting on the idea behind the launch, Vivek Khanna, business head, Mint, said, "We wanted to test and understand the dynamics of the tablet market with the launch of this special app. Based on the feedback received for this, we will launch more feature-rich apps in future." He added that the app is already the second most downloaded app in the news category.

To create awareness about the app with the relevant audience, Mint has launched a focused marketing campaign targeting the tech savvy news consumer. The campaign that has just gone live will be present across mediums including print and internet. A brief demo of the application would also be available on livemint.com/iPad.