After recently turning 10, Facebook underwent what some are calling a “Cinderella transformation” with its launch of an intuitive news reader app. Not unlike Craigslist, Facebook’s engineers have always valued “function” over “aesthetics.” However, Paper, the new iPhone app, has officially provided the social network with charm.
Facebook Paper stresses storytelling and re-envisions how the site’s content is viewed with the look of a glossy magazine. The app infuses Facebook’s News Feed with a feel similar to that of the popular news app Flipboard. Users can scroll through photos like a film strip and actually turn pages as they sift through updates.
The app pulls updates from users’ Facebook friends as well as stories from major publishers like the Wall Street Journal, Harper’s Bazaar, and Buzzfeed. Users also have access to Facebook’s traditional tools like being able to “SHARE” or “LIKE” posts and photos. However, unlike the normal Facebook News Feed, content will be curated through a process that includes both an algorithm and user customization. Users are given the opportunity to indicate which news categories (like tech, science, or design) interest them most. During its trial stages, the app will not have ads, but experts predict this will change within the next six months.
Facebook says Paper won’t be replacing the social network’s main app, but Time Magazine is calling the app “the future of Facebook.”
Zuckerberg has also said the company will continue to develop stand-alone apps similar to Paper to help its users better connect with each other. However, Paper is currently only available for the iPhone.
What do you think of the new app? Will you be using it more than Facebook’s default app?
Sources:
http://cir.ca/news/facebook-paper-app
http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/30015127/with-fresh-design-facebook-delivers-paper
