Artprice Becomes the 'Killer Application' for Apple's iPad in the Art World

PARIS, June 7, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Artprice, the world leader in art market information, has launched a series of Apple's iPad(R) services (mostly pay-services) for its 1.3 million members and anyone who owns an iPad throughout the world.

According to Thierry Ehrmann, the founder and CEO of Artprice: "the typical Artprice user relies heavily on our services and needs urgent access to our data whilst on the move, for example, when the decision to buy or sell an artwork cannot be postponed. Consequently, Artprice effectively becomes the 'killer application' for iPad in the art market."

Artprice is one of the only content publishers in the world to have successfully imposed, since 1987, the notion of paid contents, via it status as global leader in the field. In this context, the conversion of Artprice's clients to iPad in pay-for mode is completely natural compared with other publishers whose clienteles have been addicted to free information for many years.

As of the 3rd quarter of 2010, Artprice will enter into specific partnerships with two major clients: the first is one of the largest auctioneers in the world, and the second is one of the principal associations of Fine Art valuers. Economically, the primary interest of these partnerships is their revenue-generating capacity; however, they will also give Artprice access to data feedback from professional clients that will be immediately adjusted and implemented by Artprice's internal iPad marketing and IT teams. In fact, the art market, essentially consisting of valuations and commercial exchanges, has been nomadic by nature for many centuries. The iPad is so well suited to the needs of the market that Artprice will soon be offering iPads on-line, already loaded with subscriptions to Artprice data and a number of very specific Artprice applications, giving preference to its existing clients. Artprice Europe and Artprice Inc. in the USA have both launched a first call for proposals for iPads in bulk.

Likewise, as of this June, a series of promotion campaigns will allow Artprice's clients to spread the "iPad/Artprice addiction" throughout the art world in complete harmony with the French Consumer Code.

At the same time, Artprice is developing new applications using Google's Android for various different operators and Smartphone manufacturers. According to Thierry Ehrmann, "the internet acquired its first billion users via PC; the next two billion are arriving via mobile devices... well before 2015". Indeed, after a series of fruitful meetings with Telecom operators, thierry Erhmann is now convinced that Internet kiosks, paid by the minute or per download, will begin to appear later this year. Numerous operators are apparently preparing multi-level kiosk offers.

Users will be able to access downloaded Artprice data, even available off-line, at any time or place. Using their iPhone and now, with even greater facility, their iPad, Artprice clients can access all of Artprice's services: art prices and indices databases with more than 27 million indices and auction results covering 405,000 artists; databases containing 108 million high-definition images of artworks, and the world's largest market place for buying and selling art along with the full range of Artprice services.

For over a year Artprice users have been using http://web.artprice.com/iphone/ to discover the new Artprice applications dedicated to iPhone. They use their iPhones notably to access the latest global art market information and they can download, in one operation, the 20 latest articles posted by Artprice's press agency -ArtMarketInsight- that is a reference for more than 6,300 international press and audio media around the world.

In just over one year, more than 540,000 applications have been downloaded. Artprice consultations via Safari iPhone today represent 12.6% of total Artprice consultations. Users can immediately find the Artprice application on their Home screen by downloading the Artprice logo to their iPhones... and now to their iPads. It is therefore clear, considering the habits observed with the iPhone (where the screen size remains a limiting factor), that more than 50% of Artprice's clientele will now switch to iPads... and probably very quickly indeed.

Source: http://www.artprice.com (c)1987-2010 Thierry Ehrmann

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Artprice is the world leader in art market information with over 27 million auction prices and indices covering over 405,000 artists. Artprice Images(R) offers unlimited access to the largest database of art market information in the world, a library of 108,000,000 images and engravings of art works from 1700 to the present day. Artprice continuously updates its databases with information from 3,600 international auction houses and provides daily information on art market trends to the main financial press agencies and to 6,300 press titles worldwide. Artprice offers standardised adverts to its 1,300,000 members (member log in) and is the world's leading market place for buying and selling works of art (source: Artprice).

Artprice is listed on Eurolist by Euronext Paris: Euroclear: 7478 - Bloomberg: PRC - Reuters: ARTF

Contact: Josette Mey - tel: +33(0)478-220-000, e-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE Artprice.com