DESIGN /
DIGITAL
January 19, 2016
Sony Debuts News Suite, a Novel "2-in-1" News App
Sony
Switch Between "Broad" and "Deep" with One Tap
Sony Unveils "News Suite," a New Kind of App
Sony has launched "News Suite," a news app for Android devices. This app represents a significant overhaul of "Socialife News," which had been available since 2012. It's a novel news app born from a thorough examination of user experience.
Text by OPENERS
Connecting World Events with Your Interests
An Android News App for Efficiently Checking What Matters
When gathering information online, such as news, don't most people approach it from two perspectives? One is the general trend of what's capturing attention in the world today. The other is driven by personal motivation: "What's happening with that issue I'm curious about right now?"
Switch between "News" and "My Magazine" with a single tap.
Sony's Android news app, "News Suite," displays information by switching between two tabs: the "News" tab, which provides general world news, and the "My Magazine" tab, where users can gather information they are personally interested in, independent of global events.
It collects and delivers desired news along two axes. Furthermore, in addition to this tab-switching function for two streams of information, it also allows users to check horoscopes and the weather.
You can switch between gathering news and personal interest information with a single tap, without needing to launch separate apps.
Easily Customize to Your Interests
Looking at the usability of each tab, the "News" tab is organized by genre, such as "Entertainment," "Sports," "Business," "Gourmet," and "Technology," allowing users to read articles in a structured format. You can also easily switch between genres by swiping left or right.
The "My Magazine" tab features an easy-to-use customization function. Users can select information sources and topics from a news catalog (RSS list) to receive news.
Additionally, in "My Magazine," you can register keywords such as the names of your favorite sports teams or celebrities to gather filtered information.
In "My Magazine," you can input any keyword to gather news.
With the customization feature of "My Magazine," you can gather various pieces of information related to a single keyword and accumulate them. By tracking changes in the world related to the keyword chronologically and understanding the information landscape from multiple angles, it's perfect not just for following news, but also for tracking trends relevant to business and daily life.
As the new season begins, if you're considering a new news app, we recommend giving this one a try.
News Suite
Official Website | http://socialife.sony.net/ja_jp/newssuite/
Google Play Store | https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sony.nfx.app.sfrc
Compatible Devices | Smartphones with Android 4.1 or higher
* Pre-installed on "Xperia series"
* Planned for future iOS (iPhone) support (date undecided)
Installations | Approx. 40 million (formerly: Socialife News)
Service Area | Approx. 70 countries worldwide
Monthly Active Users | Approx. 6 million