Zinio joins the Nokia Collection for Windows Phone 8

By George Ponder
last updated

Zinio is a popular digital newsstand service and a Windows Phone 8 app has been in the works. A few days ago, Zinio snuck in under the radar as an exclusive for the Nokia Lumia Windows Phone 8 devices.

Zinio connects you to stories on current events, politics, technology, style and more. Plus it gives you an app to file under the "Z" alpha-tab.

Zinio's main pages cover a reading list of free articles from your favorite categories, a shop page where you can buy your digital subscriptions, and the obligatory "More" page.

You'll need a Zinio account (free) to fully appreciate the app which you can set up within the app itself. With the account you can buy subscriptions online at Zinio's website (opens in new tab) and access them from your Windows Phone.

Subscription services include publications such as Newsweek, Shutterbug, Outdoor Photographer, GQ, X-Box World, and Smart Money. Publications can be purchased by the issue or by annual subscription.  Prices vary depending on the publication but just surfing through the choices it looks like $5 per issue is about standard with annual subscriptions running $15 and up.

Articles can be pinned to your Start Screen for easy access and downloaded for off-line reading. All in all, Zinio makes a nice first impression.

Zinio is a free app for Nokia Windows Phone 8 devices and can be found here (opens in new tab) in the Nokia Collection.

Thanks, Angelo, for the tip!

Bonus: You can read about a $50 Zinio coupon here in the Windows Phone Central Forums.  Thanks, Squatting Hen, for the tip!

George Ponder
George Ponder

George is the Reviews Editor at Windows Central, concentrating on Windows 10 PC and Mobile apps. He's been a supporter of the platform since the days of Windows CE and uses his current Windows 10 Mobile phone daily to keep up with life and enjoy a game during down time.

68 Comments
  • 1GB RAM only, due to those intensive static images.
  • Are we sure about that. I cant download on my 920 atm in the UK
  • My UK 520 says not compatible as it requires 1GB RAM.
  • Apparently its only for US customers according to Windows Phone Marketplace. SUXXX!!!
  • i believe so, when i go to the app dl screen, it says this app uses features my phone doesnt have, i can't dl at all.  on 620
  • Me neither L920 UK EE
  • +920
  • Lets hear bitching about Nokia's exclusivity.
  • I hate it! My Nokia gets all the good apps, so unfair to those other people. Obama said we should all share.
  • HTC/Samsung should stop sitting on their asses then. 
  • i have lumia but i agree with josh i hate exclusive apps if nokia,htc or samsung want to contribute they should contribute to the whole store not just for them
  • Nokia is in business for Nokia not HTC or any other company. Why would I develop something that won't distinguish my company by giving my hard work to a competitor? Doesn't make sense to me.
  • im not talking about apps made by the companies im talking about general apps and games
  • While I agree with what you say you need to remember that Zinio is not a Nokia app, so artficially limiting it to Nokia devices is not distinguishing Nokia from others, it's depriving other manufacturers devices of quality apps. You seem to forget that not everyone wants a Nokia Windows Phone.
     
    Those of you who think that the apps that are exclusive to Samsung or HTC Windows Phones should be on Nokia devices need to remember that those apps are developed by the manufacturer, not others and hoovered off the marketplace to deny other Windows Phone users of them.
     
    This is the prime example of why Windows Phone isn't doing well. Lack of apps are what others are saying and it's not hard to see why, when Nokia deprive others of decent apps like Zinio.
  • Oh damn, another exclusive app I will never need or use.
  • Why? Because there's reading involved?
  • Looks like it's back to my GNex for the NON EXCLUSIVE Zinio app on Android!!!! :P
  • It's embarrassing that my hp touchpad has this app but not my 8x... Better than nothing though
  • can't dl on my 620, fragmentation at  its best!
  • Consequences of buying a entry level phone.
  • Entry level or not, an effort should be made to make an app compatible with 512 devices. If Asphalt can be made compatible, surely a news reader can also be. Plus, this 'Exclusive' stuff is kind of retarded. Sure, let Nokia make exlusive applications, but developers having apps on the store that require a certain make? That's stupid. Say, you say to your friend 'There's this really cool app on Windows Phone' they shift, and then, because they got a HTC or Samsung because they like the make, they can't get it. It's silly...
  • I disagree / agree with you. I disagree with the 512MB / 1GB. Some apps / games require more power. If you go with a base model phone your not gonna get all the bells and whistles that a high end gets.
    I agree 100% with Nokia exclusives are bad. If your in the market for a W8 phone Nokia is truly your only option. If HTC had went ahead and made the high end zenith (titan) with 32GB I still wouldn't have got it. Why? Because I came to W8 for Xbox games and Nokia has way more. I honestly think I'd like a HTC better. Still I gotta go with who has the best games and apps. Nokia is winning that battle hands down. With Microsoft's money. HTC knows that. Samsung knows that That's why the zenith got cancelled and why the ATIV S never got pushed. So yes this is silly and a knife in the back of W8.
  • Great!!
  • US only?
  • 1GB means I can't appreciate it on my 620.
  • Where does it say that?
  • Just read the comments dude, stop spamming the same question to every reply.. It requires 1GB RAM, I can't download it through the Store app on my Lumia 620.
  • I cant download it on my Lumia 920! So the comments bitching about 1GB without any indication of that in the article are equal spams!
  • Well, then we're all screwed.
  • On the store it clearly say that the app can't be downloaded because 1GB of RAM is needed, its not because you can't download it on your 920 that comments become spam dude...
  • It doesn't say on my store. It says its not available in my region. So yes, spam.
  • On mine it say that. So no!
  • @rockstarzzz Is it really that difficult to understand? The app is only out in the US at the moment!
    So, on non-US devices it will just show as not available for all devices.
    In the US where the app is available, it will download on the 920, but shows an error on a 512MB device explaining the app requires 1GB.
    The only spam here, are your comments.
  • Thanks?
  • Girls Girls, you are both pretty...
     
    No one was spamming, it was all a big mix up.
  • This app requires 1gb ram? hell. I can't believe that. What happens with windows phone ram's management? I know that it is not android, that is unlimited and has a real multitasking. But could be at least like IOS, that handle ram better than all the OS. 
    Because such thing we get mad about WP. I still remember when they mock other OS to be beta testers. Even in WP8 we feel like beta tester.
    The worst, there is no reason to do that, like temple run. Look to the buggy android, they have a hundred of devices, but even this fragmented OS, they release temple run for many devices, begginning with 256mb ram until 2gb ram.
    Here it always this thing. We have to bear MS doesn't offer OpenGL to small startups bring indie (some very nice) games. Then It is hard to develop, to get all MS approval. And in the end, we faced such issues. It is a shame. Really shame.
    I guess Blackberry, although is worst than WP, it offers much better support for devs. They are really doing their best to bring apps. MS could do more, makes the thing easier for devs. But from 120.000 apps in the begginner of the year, it stuck on 145.000 apps. 
    I don't wanna complain, but it is hard to accept that. I love WP, altough I come here saying many time that I gonna sell my phone.
    But for me, or it is WP or IOS. And Iphone on Brazil is really expensive.
  • Where does it say that?
  • Waaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!
  • Cala-te lá um pouco. Foda-se.
  • Word.
  • I'm sorry bit this is a little dumb to be an exclusive. Luckily all my mags are on my android tablet using the much cheaper google play magazines. No magazines on my 8x I guess
  • Exactly how I feel, This is why I can't move to Windows Phone full time and the reason why I have to carry my Galaxy Nexus and my ATIV S!!!
  • If you change the region to US you can download it
  • For all:
    http://forums.wpcentral.com/nokia-lumia-920/226057-nokia-lumia-%2450-zin...
  • Thanks for that.
  • 1GB ram requirement? Why? -.- And why has this happened on more than one app lately to me? I thought the memory constraint problem wasnt that bad.... Its Windows Phone. Not like were running photoshop on our phones. Games should be the only ones with a memory constraint, and only when the lower memory devices render the game unplayable or render it useless.
  • Not available Worldwide. Yet again.
  • Can all those bitching about 1GB tell rest of us where does that come from?? Nokia Lumia 920 in the UK can friggin at it!
  • read the comments, multiple people said their 512 devices can't download. 
     
    I can't download, i dont even ahve a install button, it says this app uses features my phone doesn't have.  I think it is safe to say that if my 620 had 1 gb of ram, i would be able to download.  I am in the u.s. 
  • Says the same on Lumia 920.
  • So when you touch that message on your phone and the prompt pops up, does it say this?
     
    "App not compatible
     
    This app is not available because it requires:
     
    * 1 GB Ram or more"
     
    im guessing no?
  • I think the app is US only, atm. Though, oddly ebough, i noticed they have a number of UK magazines (and a few canadian ones too) on their site.
  • Hopefully that is just a minor delay as it's available in the UK on all other platforms so I don't see why the WP version wouldn't be either.
  • I hope Next Issue comes out with an app for WP8. I'm enjoying their app on my Win8 PC and Surface RT.
  • Whoah... Had to uninstall until I get to WiFi, its raping my data.
  • Not available for download in the Netherlands alas...
  • Not available in germany...
  • App works great but why can't I see my zinio playboy subscription?
  • I don't know, my GILFs in HEAT mag isn't showing up either.
  • lol
  • Probably has a filter for NSFW content.
  • Adult magazines are unavailable through Zinio'z mobile applications.
  • for those having 920 , does the $50 voucher  actually work?
    trying to download "NUTS", it is not showing up within the app  
  • The $50 offer is for selected titles only. I wanted to subscribe to National Geographic Interactive through it, but I couldn't. That's stupid. Useless collection in the voucher offer. :-/ Further the app is not available in India, I downloaded it by changing the Store to US region.
  • I don't think all these people whining about the exclusives understand the fact that Nokia has paid the developer to make the app for WP. They haven't made it because they want people to be able to use their app on WP, but because Nokia paid them money to develop the app.
  • I have no problem with Nokia paying them to create it, they could make it free on Nokia devices and paid for on non Nokia devices. The problem is that this app won't be available for any other manufacturers Windows Phones, at all, full stop as there is no "exclusivity period". These tactics by Nokia are severely affecting the platform because, as I said earlier, not everyone wants a Nokia Windows Phone and as a result those potential customers won't switch.
     
    My guess is that you don't remember the Viber debacle!!!
  • UK Lumia 820. "Not available for your device".
  • Sweet, just installed it on my Lumia 920. I can sync my subscription flawlessly. However, I can't seem to find page views features. At least in RT version, whenever you swipe down, the page view shows up.