The web page saving app, Instapaper, is now available as a free download from Apple iTunes.
On Thursday, December 12, Apple named Instapaper its "App of the week" and is offering it as a free download from iTunes. Usually, the app costs $3.99 and this is the first time that the app has gone free on iOS since its initial release in 2010.
The Instapaper app allows users to read webpages offline, making it a useful tool for people who do not have continuous access to the Internet.
"Instapaper is the simplest way to save and store articles for reading: offline, on-the-go, anytime, anywhere, perfectly formatted. Instapaper for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch provides a mobile-optimized Text view that makes reading Internet content a clean and uncluttered experience," says the product description of Instapaper on iTunes.
Customers who use the app cannot access the full web page for later reading offline. Saved articles are stored as text-only documents and are reduced from their full web layouts and optimized for reading on an iOS device. A user can save up to 500 articles on their iPhone or iPad but can keep unlimited number of articles on the Instapaper website.
The app also allows additional features after a user saves a web page for later reading. Users can adjust fonts, text sizes, line spacing and margins. Customers can also optimize the way the document appears such as the dark mode and brightness control feature for night reading.
The app also allows users to sort their unread list of items by popularity, date and article length.
Users also have the option of tilt scrolling and page-flipping. The app also enables a customer to share their document via email, Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook, Pinboard, Evernote, or any other supported apps.
The latest Instapaper version (5.1.2) released on December 2 this year is available as a free download only for limited time but Apple has not confirmed till when the app will remain as a free download. The size of the app is only 18MB and requires iOS 6.0 or later. The Instapaper app is compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.
Unfortunately, Android users still have to pay to download the app on their smartphone or tablet.
