If you were previously enjoying the NY Post website on your iPad, you have already noticed something is wrong. Attempting to access nypost.com via the built in Safari browser on the iPad results in a page stating "Thanks for coming! NYPOST.com editorial content is now only accessible on the iPad through the New York Post App."
A paywall for accessing content via iPad isn't new, the NY Times did something similar a while back. The difference here is that the NY Post paywall is fairly poorly conceived. Accessing the site from the Safari may not work but going to nypost.com via other browsers like Skyfire and Opera Mini does not prompt the user to buy the official app. It's possible the NY Post will realize this error and correct it, but for now there is a way to access the website content for free on the iPad.
What if you like the NY Post enough to pay for access? Well if you buy the app, it'll run you $1.99 and come with 30 days of access. After those 30 days are up you have subscription options for $6.99 a month, $39.99 for six months, or $74.99 for a year of access. Alternatively you can subscribe to the electronic edition of the NY Post, which nets you access to the website. The electronic edition has more options like a single edition for $2, 4 weeks for $9.18, 24 weeks for $12, and 52 weeks for $26.
It's surprising that the NY Post is bothering with an app at all. Why not just push the consumer to purchase the e-edition of the paper to get access to the website? Going with an all inclusive e-edition option would appeal to a wider audience and leave the paper with one less access method to support. The other option is to go the route of The Daily and make content only available via the iPad app, but it seems like that would actually alienate people who want to access content online but don't own an iPad.
