The Associated Press announced last Friday its plans to launch AP Gateway, a business unit designed to target new opportunities for its multimedia news and develop services for platforms such as e-readers, tablet computers, and mobile phones.   

“AP Gateway will serve as the launching pad for new products and services from AP and other interested news publishers,” said Tom Curley, president and CEO of the AP, at a meeting of the Colorado Press Association late last week. “It will allow the news industry to deliver the news directly to the consumer in a variety of exciting new ways.”

“The first product from Gateway will be a news application for the
Apple iPad that incorporates a paid subscription model and offers AP
members the opportunity to participate,” said Curley. The AP expects its iPad app to be available by the end of March, paidContent reported.