The Guardian has revealed that its iPad edition has been downloaded more than half a million times since it launched in October 2011, with 23,000 downloads on Christmas day alone.

From tomorrow, 7 January, the app will include the Guardian’s Weekend magazine for the first time. The new weekly section, accessible from the app’s top navigation bar, will feature content from the Guardian’s award-winning magazine supplement, including columns from Tim Dowling and Lucy Mangan, letters, fashion and beauty, recipes from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Yotam Ottolenghi and Dan Lepard, and Alys Fowler’s award-winning gardening column.

The Guardian iPad edition, sponsored by Channel 4, launched on 13 October 2011 with a three-month free trial. The trial ends on Friday, 13 January 2012, at which point users will be able to sign up for a £9.99 per month subscription through Newsstand on the App Store. Guardian six- and seven-day print subscribers will continue to receive free access to the app after the three month period via their current subscription. Users who download the app after 13 January will receive a week’s free trial before signing up for the monthly subscription.

The Guardian iPad edition mirrors the Guardians Monday – Saturday paper, and is available now on Newsstand. Guardian subscribers receive new issues automatically on their iPad, with the latest issues and most recent cover art appearing in their Newsstand.