Just on the heels of Apple?s introduction of its App Store subscription service, Google has rolled out a similar offering with one glaring difference ? it is free.

With Google One Pass, publishers set their own terms for their digital content and they can maintain direct relationships with their customers. Google?s service gives readers access to digital content of publisher across Web sites and mobile apps, while Apple?s is limited to iOS apps.

?I think the first and most important thing about Google One Pass is we can offer subscriptions and we haven?t be able to do that for digital magazines and it?s been a key concern,? said Sara Öhrvall, director of research and development at Bonnier?s Popular Science, San Francisco.

?We can also identify print subscribers and give them special subscription prices, so the platform also makes the bundling of print and digital much easier,? she said. ?We?ve also signed with Apple as well.

?The difference is that Google can be used on the Web as well, while Apple?s offering is limited to apps,? she said. ?Google is not charging a fee and Apple is asking for 30 percent for each subscriber it brings.?

Popular Science?s Mr. Öhrvall said that the strategy behind going with both platforms is to get reach across a multitude of different devices. Both Apple and Google?s offerings throw a lifeline to media companies that have had trouble monetizing their digital content.?

One Pass
With Google One Pass, publishers can maintain direct relationships with their customers and give readers access to digital content across Web sites and mobile apps.

Publishers can customize how and when they charge for content while experimenting with different models to see what works best for them. In other words, publishers can try out subscriptions, metered access, freemium content or even single articles for sale from their Web sites or mobile apps.

The service also lets publishers give existing print subscribers free or discounted access to digital content.

Google takes care of the rest, including payments technology handled via Google Checkout.

U.S. publishers Media General, Bonnier?s Popular Science and Rust Communications have already signed on as partners.

Google One Pass is currently available for publishers in Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Britain and the U.S.

?We have been experimenting with different payment systems and have been working with Google One Pass,? said John Russ, publisher of Southeast Missourian and copresident of Russ Communications, Cape Gerardo, MI. ?We will be launching with a metered pay systems in three markets initially also doing some pay-per-story experimentation and we will look to take this to other devices.

?I think it?s is also worth mentioning that we have been testing something for Apple?s iPad and were waiting for its announcement of the subscription service,? he said. ?But we are not thrilled with Apple?s lack of information sharing and the revenue model it has put in place.

?On the contrary, we are very happy with Google.?

Apple
Subscriptions purchased within the App Store will be sold using the same billing system used to buy apps and for in-app purchases.

Publishers set the price and length of subscription: weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, bi-yearly or yearly. Customers pick the length of subscription and are automatically charged based on the time-frame they choose. Users can review and manage all of their subscriptions from their personal account page.

Apple processes all payments, keeping the same 30 percent share that it does today for other in-app purchases.

The New York Times reported that publishers are unhappy with the terms of Apple?s service. The Times said that Hearst, Conde Nast and Time Inc. declined to comment on whether they plan to use the subscription service.

However, News Corp.?s The Daily, Hachette Filipacchi Media?s Elle and Bonnier?s Popular Science have agreed to Apple?s terms early on in the game.

?Elle has a great partnership with Apple,? said Ted Nadeau, general manager of Elle Digital Group at HFMUS, New York. ?By using iTunes we believe our readers have the easiest and most secure access to our iPad content.

?This is good for the consumer,? he said. ?Elle creates inspiring content for our readers, we are not in the payment processing business.

?We're happy to concentrate on our core strength of producing great content.?