Consumers now able to personalise their news with innovative iPhone apps from Fairfax Media
Fairfax Media today paves the way for publishers to effectively monetise content with a range of new iPhone apps set to revolutionise how consumers interact with content online. The innovative apps for WAtoday.com.au, smh.com.au, theage.com.au and brisbanetimes.com.au, let consumers completely personalise their news experience, with a range of additional features and increased breadth of coverage.
Making full use of the range of gesture and viewing features availablewith the iPhone, the apps let consumers interact, change the order ofdisplay and even remove news from more than 100 different sections ofcontent from the Fairfax news titles.
Laden with featuresincluding photo galleries, full-screen video and localised weather,users will be able to customise their entire news experience. Forexample, someone interested only in sports and business news can settheir news stream to reflect their preferences. Other customisableaspects include viewing options (horizontal and vertical options),adjustable font sizes, and video preferences.
Each of the appscost just $2.49 for 31 days of access, while six month subscriptionscome at the discounted rate of $12.99. As the app is charged on a’31-day’ cycle, this effectively adds a free week of access over thecourse of a year.
Fairfax Media Chief Executive and ManagingDirector, Brian McCarthy, said, “It’s the first move by Fairfax Mediato charge for its online news content on a mobile phone. Thedevelopment of the apps is a milestone in our ongoing strategy aroundthe delivery of content through digital platforms.”
The appshave been developed internally over the past six months by a team ofdevelopers from its digital media division, Fairfax Digital.
FairfaxDigital Chief Executive, Jack Matthews, said, “If you look at ouroverall traffic for the past three months, we’re already leading themobile category. We’re confident we’ll extend that lead further bygiving our readers choice, convenience and most importantly,innovation.”
Fairfax Digital Director of News and Platforms,Darren Burden said the brief for developing the app was to deliver asimple and customisable user experience.
“Our philosophy hasbeen to listen to what people want from a mobile news service anddeliver this in a completely personalised form. Over six months ofdevelopment, we’ve looked at the best features of other popularapplications and incorporated that thinking into a clean andcomprehensive user experience that changes the way we interact withnews.”
From today, users will be able to provide suggestionsfor future development through a feedback module. Further releases andautomatic updates will regularly be made available to subscribers.Development is also underway for other smartphone platforms as themarket for apps continues to grow in Australia.
Download the apps: