Microsoft Launches Rebranded 'Microsoft News' App for iOS With Dark Mode and More

[MacRumors]

Microsoft today announced a rebranding of its news engine that's been powering sites like MSN.com since 1995, which the company is simply calling "Microsoft News." The name will replace the previous "MSN News" smartphone app beginning today across devices for iOS, Android, Microsoft Edge, Windows 10, Skype, Xbox, and Outlook.com (MSN.com will retain its name).

The revamped app curates news via publishing partners, human editors, and artificial intelligence, ensuring readers are up-to-date on the topics they care about. News sites include over 3,000 brands in all major global markets, like The New York Times, The Washington Post, BBC News, and more, all including text and video content.

Users can personalize the app by prioritizing favorite news topics and selecting interests to follow in the news feed. Microsoft says that publishing partners can connect with their audiences and earn money for the content that users read within Microsoft News.

In terms of UI features, the iOS app includes a dark theme, supports the iOS widgets feature, has customizable breaking news alerts, and more:

- New personalization upgrades, including the ability to tailor interests to follow in your news feed - such as World News, Personal Finance, Fitness and many more - and to roam interests across devices and local news options for top cities
- Simplified access through seamless integration with iOS and Android widgets
- Continuous reading, for a smooth content experience

Microsoft News comes one month after Google revamped its own Google News app on iOS devices, with a few similar features like personalized news suggestions, combined AI/human curation, and more. Google News replaced the existing Google Play Newsstand app, much like Microsoft News is replacing the MSN News app.

Both apps are competitors to Apple News, which provides similar news curation features across a user's iOS devices. In iOS 12 this fall, Apple News will gain a redesign that introduces a Browse tab to make it easier to discover new channels or jump straight to favorites, and the app on iPad will be updated with a new sidebar for simpler navigation.

Article Link: Microsoft Launches Rebranded 'Microsoft News' App for iOS With Dark Mode and More

 

[redneckitengineer]

And this does what that the built in Apple News can’t?

 

[78Bandit]

And this does what that the built in Apple News can’t?

Syncs your news preferences and suggestions across multiple platforms including iOS, Windows, and Android.

 

[Princejb134]

A little embarrassing the competition beat you to a wanted feature on your own phone ‍♂️

 

[KanosWRX]

Guess Microsoft wanted to pretend like they were relevant still with Apple and Google having their own news apps.

 

[orbital~debris]

Just (re)installed this on my iPhone to see what it's like.

Broadly similar in use to Apple News, but Apple News has been designed in a way that encourages curiosity. The 'Apple touch' makes everything look that bit better, appearing as though someone's taken much more time over appearance & reading experience than Microsoft - whose approach feels like one developer wrote a news-gathering algorithm and another submitted it to the App Store

 

[jmh600cbr]

can we have apple news in canada? i don't see how it makes sense that microsoft and google release apps globally but apple doesn't

 

[sharleyP]

And this does what that the built in Apple News can’t?

It runs in other countries than 'Murica

 

[Audigy]

RSS has always been the best choice for a news aggregator. Paired with lire(http://itunes.apple.com/app/lire/id550441545) its unbeatable. Not this crap.

 

[dogslobber]

can we have apple news in canada?

No.

 

[redneckitengineer]

Syncs your news preferences and suggestions across multiple platforms including iOS, Windows, and Android.

So your saying I’d have to use non Apple products for that feature...ok.

 

[69650]

I don’t trust Apple or Microsoft to filter my news. I prefer to get my news from sources I trust.

 

[69Mustang]

So your saying I’d have to use non Apple products for that feature...ok.

No, that feature is built in whether or not you use non Apple hardware.

 

[FoxMcCloud]

Dark mode!

 

[RudySnow]

I don’t trust Apple or Microsoft to filter my news. I prefer to get my news from sources I trust.

Then just curate articles from the sources you trust in Apple or MS News. I’m not sure from your comment that you even know how to use the services.

 

[redneckitengineer]

No, that feature is built in whether or not you use non Apple hardware.

But as a devout Anti-Microsoft person, I would never want a single piece of their hardware/software in my life.

 

[flyinmac]

But as a devout Anti-Microsoft person, I would never want a single piece of their hardware/software in my life.

Then you better turn off your television, and disconnect from the Internet.

Or perhaps you’re not quite the purist you say you are?

Like Vegans who eat jello and use makeup brands that use animal parts.

Guess what’s delivering the Internet to you. Guess what’s running the services at most businesses that you go into. And guess what’s delivering your television content to you.

Yes, there is Linux, Unix, and a few Macs out there providing those services. But mixed in there is a lot of Microsoft software that would disrupt your daily routine if it suddenly all stopped working simultaneously.

 

[TechGod]

And this does what that the built in Apple News can’t?

For one I can actsoly use this in my country...
[doublepost=1529544147][/doublepost]

So your saying I’d have to use non Apple products for that feature...ok.

Who honestly cares about you? If you have no other platforms and live in the US, stick to Apple maps.

For the rest of the world that still doesn’t have Apple News and have devices with different OSes, google news and the like are great.

 

[FelixDerKater]

Darkness. Do it. Apple, do it!

 

[silvetti]

And this does what that the built in Apple News can’t?

Works outside of U.S., UK, and Australia.

 

[hagar]

Then you better turn off your television, and disconnect from the Internet. Or perhaps you’re not quite the purist you say you are?

Like Vegans who eat jello and use makeup brands that use animal parts.

I don't know if your vegan analogy is appropriate here, but I guess you want to call out hypocrisie? Because you feel that if someone is courageous enough to make the difficult but admirable decision to be vegan for whatever reason (health, climate change, animal abuse, ...) , they have to be ridiculed and called hypocrites when they use the wrong kind of makeup?

Grow up, at least they're taking a stance against one of the most corrupt and horrible industries that's destroying the planet while abusing billions of animals a year.

From my own experience, people calling out vegans, deep down know they're right, but they're too weak to change themselves. In 30-50 years, eating animals will be a thing of the past, just like burning fossil fuels, better get on board now.

Anyway. Microsoft News... meh. Stil waiting for Apple News to be launched outside the US.

And Siri for Apple TV, Maps Nearby, Maps Transit, Maps Speed limits, Apple Pay, the TV App, ... I feel like I should be given a non-US discount on Apple products

 

[silvetti]

Anyway. Microsoft News... meh. Stil waiting for Apple News to be launched outside the US.

Good luck waiting

 

[Ries]

Works outside of U.S., UK, and Australia.

Why would we want Apple News? The U.S. president is constantly warning us, that all thier media is just fake news anyway.

 

[silvetti]

Why would we want Apple News? The U.S. president is constantly warning us, that all thier media is just fake news anyway.

I just want a central location where I can get my MacRumors/Verge and other blog news which syncs across my devices. Local news is not mandatory for me (although if Microsoft can do it, I don’t see why Apple can’t...).

 

[Glockworkorange]

It runs in other countries than 'Murica[/QUOTE"

And yet many hundreds of thousands are beating on the doors trying to get into 'Murica....