For the publishing industry, 2016 saw the rise of news aggregators – mobile-friendly apps able to deliver personalized, ultra-relevant content from multiple sources in seconds. Here are five of the most interesting and innovative.
In the world of tech, disruption is always just around the corner.
For the publishing industry, 2016 saw the rise of news aggregators – mobile-friendly apps able to deliver personalized, ultra-relevant content from multiple sources in seconds.
The big brands are certainly trying to keep up with new trends. Tech giant Apple has revamped its news app, while Flipboard, LinkedIn and Feedly all issued major updates to their respective aggregators.
But new apps are gaining ground with some innovative offerings. The ones getting the most traction are those that go beyond simple aggregation. These smart news apps save you from searching for relevant articles by using machine learning algorithms to suggest stories it thinks you will enjoy reading.
Here are five of the most interesting and innovative.
Produced in association with Stack.
Quartz is news ‘in a whole new way’. A bot presents a new topic in a conversational format and you can decide whether to learn more or tap ‘anything else?’ to have another topic served.
Stories are broken down into digestible chunks and presented as friendly text messages accompanied by a range of gifs and emojis. This interactive form of presenting the news is highly engaging and a great way to summarize top stories, although the lack of personalization can be frustrating at times.
Download for iOS
Download for Android
Stack is relatively new to the content aggregation space but stands out with slick usability and a machine learning algorithm which updates your preferences with each swipe of the finger. The swipe-right to save/swipe-left to delete gesture lets you sift through the news efficiently.
You can also discover what other like-minded users are reading by choosing to follow them – a social feature which sets Stack apart from the some of the others.
Download for iOS
Download for Android
LinkedIn Pulse promises to bring you ‘daily news, powered by your professional world.’ Connecting with your existing LinkedIn account, Pulse offers a stream of personalized articles and stories that are trending in your wider network.
Users can follow their favorite publishers and read stories from Linkedin’s own editorial team.
Download for iOS
Download for Android
SmartNews brings you trending stories and neatly sorts these into tabs based on the topic. These tabs give the app a clean, clutter-free feel and make navigation effortless.
The app’s algorithm curates the ‘must-read’ headlines as well as recommending articles based on your reading activity in the app. Partners include NBC News, Medium, USA Today, TIME, Bleacher Report, Quartz, VICE, Reuters, AP, Perez Hilton, and more.
Download for iOS
Download for Android
Nuzzel brings you top stories based on what your friends and influencers are reading. Articles are ranked by the number of times they have been shared on Facebook or Twitter by your connections and presented in this order.
The ‘discover’ section has a number of feeds for specific topics which you can subscribe to for daily email newsletters. Nuzzel is ideal for cutting through the noise of social media sites but feels a little clunky and untidy.
Download for iOS
Download for Android
This content has been produced in association with Stack, which delivers smart news and content recommendations based on machine learning algorithms. Click here to visit their website.
Click here to read our collaborative content guidelines.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.