The MPA (formerly the Magazine Publishers’ Association and now the Association of Magazine Media — but still using the acronym MPA), finally released a plan to standardize tablet metrics and measurement.The MPA had previously released a set of voluntary guidelines, which were meant to aid ad sales into digital editions, but  would also help with subscription retention. The MPA’s announcement at their conference in New Orleans this week focused on making those voluntary guidelines mandatory.The main problem in adoption has been the fact that different platforms (i.e., the iPad, Nook, Kindle) offer up and deliver data in different ways.To remedy this problem, the MPA is working with Zinio, Google, Nook, Adobe, CDS Global, Palm Coast Data and other production and fulfillment companies to develop software that would automatically track the following metrics:

1. Total Consumer Paid Digital Issues: An unauthenticated/ bundled issue, which has been paid for by an end user. Sponsored, corporate or “free” editions will not be counted.
2. Total Number of Digital Edition Readers Per Issue: The total number of “unique” readers who have opened an issue for the first time.
3. Total Number of Sessions Per Issue: The total number of aggregate opens for all versions of an issue across all digital newsstands.
4. Average Amount Of Time Spent Per Reader Per Issue: The aggregate total time spent across all digital issues divided by the total number of unique readers.
5. Average Number Of Sessions Per Reader Per Issue: The total number of sessions across all digital issues divided by the total number of unique readers.

I’ve consistently emphasized the importance tablet editions will play in revitalizing the paid content industry. For one, consumers will pay for the convenience of a lean back device. Desktop and laptop computers are not as comfortable for consuming content as a tablet edition.But that may be changing as well, as a new study predicts that 25% of all laptops will have a touchscreen by 2015. These means that subscription sites will need to get ready for design that’s more finger-friendly, as well as the fact that users are, once again, going to interact with your product and content differently. Get ready for another disruption!Image: (c) meedanphotos via flickr.