Is this round two of apps?

That was the question Jonny Kaldor, CEO of Pugpig, posed on stage at Arc XP Connect NYC.

After years dominated by platform distribution, algorithmic volatility, and pageview economics, publishers are once again sharpening their focus on direct relationships. In that recalibration, the mobile app is stepping back into the spotlight, not as a companion product, but as a core offering.

On stage with Kaldor were Ariscielle Novicio, CTO & SVP of Product & Digital Strategy of the New York Post, Kathy Colafemina, VP of Program Management of The Boston Globe, and James Cooney, VP of Product Engineering of Condé Nast. Their organizations differ widely in brand, audience, and business model. Yet one theme surfaced repeatedly: apps may represent a smaller slice of total reach, but they consistently deliver the most engaged, most loyal, and often the most valuable users.

Here’s what that shift means for publishers thinking seriously about mobile strategy in 2026 and beyond.

The most engaged audience is already there

Novicio was unequivocal about the value of the New York Post’s app users: “The most engaged users that we have — and we know this from a lot of research and studies — is with our app.”

These readers don’t just visit. They return multiple times a day. “I’m actually really impressed at how often they come,” she added.

Cooney described a similar pattern at Condé Nast. While apps are not the primary scale driver across its portfolio, “they’re the most engaged audience and they’re paying audiences” on key brands. The Vogue app in particular delivers standout engagement levels.

The takeaway isn’t that apps replace the web. The web remains essential for scale and discovery. But when it comes to direct, habitual relationships, the app environment performs differently.

Retention is the core function

When asked whether apps are retention or acquisition tools, Cooney was direct: “It’s a retention tool.” That clarity shapes how success is measured. At Condé Nast, repeat usage over time is a leading signal. If a user becomes a multi-times-per-month visitor into month three, churn likelihood drops significantly.

Retention isn’t measured by downloads alone. Teams look at weekly users, DAU/MAU ratios, and sustained engagement across months. Habituation is the goal.

The Boston Globe’s strategy reinforces this approach. Colafemina explained that the Globe rebuilt its app in 2024 specifically as a retention product. It is embedded into subscriber onboarding immediately after purchase, making the app part of the reader’s daily routine from the start. Today, more than 40% of Globe subscribers access content through the app.

For them, the app is a mechanism for reinforcing loyalty from day one.

From chasing pageviews to building depth

The renewed focus on apps reflects a broader strategic shift.

“In earlier discussions, we were chasing page views,” Novicio said. “Now we still want to maintain scale, but we’re focused on future-proofing the business by building for loyalty and depth.”

That evolution has shifted product priorities within the app experience. Instead of optimizing primarily for raw reach, the team now looks closely at engagement metrics such as daily active sessions per user, repeat visits per day, and screen views per session. As Novicio explained, the focus is on how often people return each day and how deeply they engage once they’re there.

While depth can be more difficult to earn than traffic, it’s also more durable once established.

Monetization is catching up to engagement

Historically, apps were framed primarily as subscription vehicles. Advertising often lagged behind web performance. But that is changing.

At the New York Post, Novicio described plans for premium areas within the app dedicated to direct sales and high-value sponsorships, alongside expanded e-commerce integration. “I’m focused on the CPMs,” she said, underscoring the importance of monetization and her own goal of achieving web and app CPM parity. Investments in data infrastructure are enabling stronger signal delivery across all audience types. “We’re applying that to 100% of the audience that comes to us,” Novicio explained, referencing anonymous, registered, and opted-in users alike.

At Condé Nast, advertising conversations are similarly accelerating. Rather than replicating every piece of web-based ad logic inside native apps, Cooney described a more focused approach: start with advertiser use cases and design purpose-built solutions.

There is also a competitive lens. Internal comparisons increasingly point to app-first platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Advertisers expect immersive, high-quality environments. Publisher apps must meet that experiential standard while preserving editorial integrity.

Exclusivity drives action

While retention remains the primary function, apps can generate acquisition spikes when they host exclusive experiences.

Cooney pointed to Vogue’s app-only Nicki Minaj group chat as an example. The interactive event was accessible solely inside the app and became “one of the biggest single day drivers of downloads and new starts that we had had.”

Exclusivity created urgency and urgency drove downloads.

The lesson isn’t about locking content behind arbitrary walls. It’s about designing experiences that feel inherently mobile, and valuable enough to justify the download.

Competing on experience, not volume

Vertical video and swipe-based storytelling also surfaced as key areas of experimentation. Publishers recognize they cannot match the output scale of social platforms. The objective is different.

“We’re trying to compete in the sexiness of the experience,” Novicio said. “But as far as content, we still truly want to be ourselves.”

That means adopting intuitive interaction patterns — seamless swiping, strong visual storytelling, easy sharing — without sacrificing brand voice.

That is something apps offer that social platforms cannot: full control over the environment, the data, and the relationship.

A strategic reset

So, is this round two of apps?

In many ways, yes. But it is not a repeat of 2010 enthusiasm. It is a more disciplined, data-informed reset.

The web will continue to play a critical role in driving reach, and social platforms will play a role in discovery. What emerged from this conversation, however, is that the app holds a distinct and increasingly strategic position within that ecosystem. As Novicio, Colafemina, and Cooney underscored, the app environment is uniquely suited to cultivating habit, strengthening loyalty, and generating monetizable engagement within a publisher’s own infrastructure.

For publishers shaping their mobile strategy in 2026 and beyond, the conversation has moved forward. The real opportunity lies in building apps with clear purpose, cross-functional alignment, and a long-term view of audience value.