Google replaces its Play Newsstand app on iOS with its reworked AI-powered News app. This comes shortly after its announcement during the 2018 I/O keynote.
Delivered As Promised
Users can recall that the company revealed an estimated timeline of seven days before the app arrives on the App Store. It is surprising to find out that those days have quickly gone by, as the app is reportedly available for download now. Android users should not feel left out since it is likewise available on the Play Store.
Some people might be surprised to find out that the older app is no longer available on their devices but should be glad to know that the revamped app took its place after the update.
What To Expect?
To get a detailed idea of what Google News offers, iOS users can check out a replay of the 2018 I/O keynote presentation. To sum it up, the developers revisited the original news app and integrated the company's innovative AI-powered technology. As advertised, the upgrade relies on machine learning to study the owner's usage habits and more to come up with a tailor-made list of what might be relevant at any given moment.
The app divides everything into four sections, with the first one being "For You," which is the top 5 reports the artificial intelligence determines to be of value to the user. This is followed by even more articles that the algorithm suggests based on recent activities and more. "Headline" follows next and is apparently a good mix of everything and further divides everything into sections such as Business, Technology, Entertainment, and more.
Second to the last is the "Favorites" section that allows users to set their preferences, sources, and even save articles to read at a later time. The final section is "Newsstand," where everyone can subscribe to online publications, both free and behind a paywall. Developers pointed out that all the listed media organizations support the Google AMP standard, which means the app will not open a mobile browser but deliver the content within the app instead.
Third-Party Over First-Party
It seems like a coincidence that Google News launches on iOS when Apple is also busy with its efforts to promote its own news app. Users noted that Cupertino's platform is carefully curated to feature news from notable sources. Moreover, it also serves as a gateway for the company to promote certain books related to the article and even include links for users to directly purchase a digital copy from its marketplace.
It remains to be seen if iOS users will adopt Google's app over the first-party option available on supported devices.
