The Understatement has very clearly laid out why the New York Times digital subscription plan that goes into effect next week probably won’t work:
As you can see from the chart, it’s absurdly more expensive than other digital subscription plans. And the different options are needlessly complex. I read news from many sources, and would be hesitant to pay for any online news subscription, but I have to admit that I was contemplating subscribing to the NYT. It’s probably the only reporting source that I consistently read each day. Now that I know the price, I most certainly won’t subscribe.
Think about this: it’s an additional $65/year to add smartphone app access to the NYT subscription plan. But the app obviously provides no new content. It’s just a more convenient way to read the same articles on a smartphone. It’s really no different from charging $65/year in a smartphone app store. Most apps don’t sell for more than a few dollars, and the ones that do generally fulfill a unique need. I’m not sure why the NYT thinks their app should be an exception.