But company sources denied this had taken place on Monday, instead claiming that staff were informed of the introduction of a new app and associated redundancies back in May. Additionally, this source claimed, only a small number were being sent out.

The Age Online, the newspaper's website, introduced some design changes on Monday and the company sources said the redundancies had been made because less people would be required to work on the iPad site due to the changes in the new app, the development of which was linked to the site changes.

The development comes amid claims by the organisation on Monday that its readership has achieved records, though no breakout was given to show figures for the iPad edition.

In its story about readership, The Age said: "The Age had 5.39 million readers in September, the best monthly result for the masthead since Enhanced Media Metrics Australia began.

"The new data shows that The Age’s online audience stretched to 4.8 million readers while 1 million people read the printed newspaper."

In a statement sent to iTWire, in response to a query about the staff redundancies sent to The Age editor Gay Alcorn, James Chessell, executive editor of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age said: "We have launched a new app for the iPad and the old app will be decommissioned at the end of the year.

"This change has resulted in a small number of redundancies, which we announced in May."