Facebook plans to enter the news app game with Paper, a clean and simple app that combines posts from your Facebook feed with articles from well-known publications. Paper will debut as an iPhone app on Feb. 3, 2014 in the United States.
Paper is a mix between Flipboard and Facebook. The interface is elegant like Flipboard's and perhaps even a bit more simple. Just like with Flipboard, types of news are categorized based on subject so you can choose what types of news you want to see in your Paper. Paper is divided into sections. The top half of the app will feature posts from your Facebook news feed and the tiles below will include news from reputable and emerging news organizations.
To view a particular section, all you have to do is swipe. Then you can flip through the images, posts and news items at your leisure. If you see a news article that you want to read, you simply swipe up and Paper redirects you to the original website.The main downside of Paper's news sections is that you cannot choose which sites show up in the app. However, this seems like something Facebook might consider changing once it gets user feedback on Paper.
Paper provides a clutter-free user experience and gives you a full screen view of the content. In comparison, Facebook's news feed looks messy and overwhelming. Not to mention the fact that when you use Facebook, there are always borders and tabs in the way, taking up valuable screen real estate.
Paper's product designer Mike Matas told the Verge that he wants users to think of Paper as a sort of art gallery, in which each picture, story and video is a work of art.
"You really want people to spend a little bit of time with it and appreciate that content," Matas said. "Almost like when you go to a museum and you spend a little bit of time with each thing."
Facebook's Paper strives to achieve a state of classic elegance rooted in simplicity. Although it is not designed to replace the original Facebook app, many tech pundits think that it actually could--and perhaps should. Currently, Paper has no ads and that is part of its appeal--it's just content, packaged in a very pleasing format.
Just like Facebook, Paper also allows users to post status updates as well as like, share and comment on items in your personalized social media news section. The two apps are linked, so any action you take on Paper will show up on your Facebook account. Overall, Paper looks like it will be a big success for Facebook. In fact, this no-nonsense news app might be Facebook's way to break into the mobile app world and diversify its offerings.
