Are high iPad magazine subscriptions sustainable?

The discussion whether the iPad will, or will not, save the publishing industry is as hot as ever. With magazines now appearing as apps on the device the debate has moved to pricing. It looks like the trend is set for subscriptions for the iPad to be more expensive than the paper version and this is leading to some commentators saying this is unsustainable. Here is the opinion on:

Magazines are poised to start offering subscriptions to their iPad editions no later than early June, when Bonnier plans to introduce subscription sales for the iPad iteration of Popular Science. IPad editions and subscription offers for Bonnier siblings Popular Photography and Sound & Vision will arrive later in June, followed by TransWorld Skateboarding and Islands in August.

But consumers who think iPad editions should cost no more than print editions and perhaps should cost less — given all the money publishers save on paper, printing and distribution — are going to be disappointed. IPad subscriptions to Popular Science, Popular Photography and Sound & Vision will cost at least twice as much as they do in print.