App Showcase
App info
- App name: CNN: Live & Breaking News
- Onboarding steps: 2
- Paywall type: No Paywall
- Monthly installs: 50,000
- Monthly revenue: $200,000
- App category: news
What it does
This app delivers global and local news through a variety of formats. It combines traditional written articles with live video streams, short-form vertical videos, podcasts, and interactive data visualization tools like election maps.
Where it shines
The app excels in offering multiple modalities for news consumption. At 01:40, the Shorts feed provides a modern, fast-paced way to view news clips. Later, at 02:38, the interactive election map offers a deep, tactile way to explore complex political data, contrasting nicely with the quick-hit videos.
UX highlights
- Granular notification controls during onboarding (00:07) respect user attention.
- The bottom navigation bar clearly separates distinct content types: text, video, audio, and user profile.
- The Shorts UI (01:40) keeps controls minimal to maximize video real estate.
- The dark-themed map interface (02:38) contrasts with the light-themed articles, signaling a shift to a specific tool.
- The audio player (04:31) offers standard podcast controls natively within the news app environment.
Monetization & growth
The core app appears free to use for reading and basic video, heavily supported by display and video ads. At 03:31, a prompt appears to "Subscribe" for unlimited election news video access, indicating a premium tier for live, unfiltered video coverage, though a traditional multi-tier paywall screen is not shown.
Who it’s for
It is designed for news consumers who want to stay informed across multiple formats, from deep-dive interactive maps to quick video summaries and passive audio listening.
Notes & opportunities
While the diverse media types are valuable, the sheer volume of different interfaces (articles, shorts, maps, podcasts) can feel slightly disjointed. Unifying the visual language between the dark-mode interactive tools and the light-mode article feeds could create a more cohesive experience.