Last week The Washington Post expanded its new app to iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Designed specifically to attract new national and international readers, the new app features a strong news design, better navigation and bold visuals, according to a press release about the launch.
“We attempted to do something revolutionary with this experience,” said Cory Haik, executive producer and senior editor of Digital for The Washington Post. “Our goal was to attract people across the country who may not be The Post’s regular readers. And it is working.”According to The Post, the app is optimized for each device, making it easy for readers to use, regardless of which device they are using. iPhone users can browse stories via a card-like design by scrolling down images and headlines, while iPad readers can swipe through the morning and evening editions like a magazine.”Our focus is on how people are consuming news today, and how they might want to get their news tomorrow,” said Julia Beizer, director of mobile products for The Post. “Creating different ways for people to experience The Post is a top priority for us.”Features of The Washington Post news app for the iPhone and iPod Touch include:
- Two daily editions at 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern
- Saving articles to MY post to read offline later
- Sharing content via Facebook, Twitter and email
- Customizing navigation with a reader’s favorite sections and features
- Reading favorite sections offline
- Searching for stories and photos quickly and easily with intuitive navigation and design
- Viewing extensive photo galleries and videos
- Not available in the app: commenting on stories within the app or an Android version
According to the press release, the app can be purchased in the App Store for $9.99 per month, which includes web access. However, that information is inconsistent with The Post’s Mobile page which outlines the different apps, devices and pricing. From this page, it isn’t clear which devices have the new app or what the actual cost is. The only indication is the word “Classic” when talking about the app for Android and Kindle Fire. In a post by Nieman Lab, it looks like Lincoln Motor Company is sponsoring the launch, so the app is currently free.For an inside look at the app, watch this YouTube video by Talking New Media.Insider Take:From what we’ve seen, it looks like the new app for Apple devices is a soft launch. Though there is a press release on The Post’s blog, not a lot of media have covered the launch, nor is a lot of information available. For example, the press release says The Post is targeting new national and international readers, but we don’t know who or how. The details, including cost and the free trial, aren’t clear either.However, we like that The Post is thinking ahead and anticipating what readers will want as digital news models and apps evolve. The Jeff Bezos-owned company isn’t resting on its laurels waiting for readers to tell it what they want. They are driving change, experimenting and taking risks by trying new designs and technology (e.g., the app is written in Apple’s new programming language Swift) and is testing them with a segment of its audience (Apple users). We anticipate that The Post will expand the new app to eventually serve Android users as well, but there is no indication of when that might be.As always, we’ll update you as we learn more. In the meantime, if you have tried the new app and want to share your experience, we’d love to hear from you! Type your comments below.
