Last week, ABC News Digital released a redesigned app for iPhone and Android that seeks to strike the balance between being timely and informative while not being too pushy.
“Our users kept telling us that too many apps are sending too many alerts that are overly promotional and not relevant,” said Doug Vance, Vice President of Product Development. “They love alerts, but only when relevant to what they care about. So we decided to meet that evolving need – now you’ll never miss out on big, breaking news, but you’ll also get a personalized news alert experience and a personalized News Inbox to keep you updated about the stories you’ve selected as important to you.”
The new app was built based with the successful day-parted ABC News iPad app in mind. The new iPhone and Android versions are designed to reflect the changing preferences of news consumers throughout the day. ABC News is the first major news organization to introduce personalized push alerts into its news app. The four major updates are:
1) Personalized Push Alerts: Users may select or “star” stories of interest and receive real-time updates based on their choices. Rather than a flurry of push notifications, the ABC News app sends alerts based on your preferences.
2) ABC News Inbox: The app manages alerts, story follow-ups and saved stories in a personal inbox.
3) Watch & Read: Users no longer have to choose between reading and watching a video. The app makes it easy to scan text while watching a related video.
4) ABC News Radio: ABC News Radio content is updated hourly within the app.