FishbowlNY has learned exclusively that Hearst men’s magazine Esquire is making changes in its publishing schedule and newsstand cover price next year.

The magazine is planning to introduce a double issue for June and July 2010, increasing its newsstand price to $4.99 and debuting an iPhone app later this fall.

An Esquire spokesperson told us:

“Modern brands are leveraging their expertise to reach consumers in all sorts of ways, including special issues, mobile applications, books and online content. Starting in 2010, we will publish one larger double issue (June/July) and still put out more issues per year than several other magazines in our category. If anything, Esquire‘s consumers will be getting more content, packaged in new ways — from its successful spinoff magazine Esquire’s Big Black Book to an application for the iPhone and other devices, due out this fall. In 2010 Esquire will also raise its newsstand cover price by 30% to $4.99.”

We’re not sure if these changes are evidence of trouble at Esquire, but they certainly show that the magazine looking for new ways to save money, earn revenue and test the waters with new types of content.