New York Daily News

What it does

The New York Daily News app provides mobile access to the publication's content. It serves as a digital newspaper, delivering articles on local NYC news, national politics, sports, and entertainment. The app allows users to personalize their feed based on topics of interest and save articles for later reading.

Where it shines

The app's strength lies in its direct and content-focused experience. The onboarding is swift, funneling users through a quick topic personalization (00:08) and sign-up process to a clean, scannable news feed (00:55). The reading experience itself is straightforward, with a prominent 'save' icon for easy bookmarking (01:35). Navigation is clear, with a top bar allowing users to quickly jump between major sections like 'Sports' and 'Opinion' (02:48), catering to habitual news readers.

UX highlights

The initial onboarding allows for both quick and deep personalization. Users can select from six main topics or click 'View all topics' for a much more detailed list (00:11).
A persistent top navigation bar provides immediate access to the main news categories, reducing the need to use a hamburger menu for primary navigation.
When an article is saved, a simple and clear 'Added to Saved' toast message provides instant feedback without being intrusive (01:35).
The app uses well-timed prompts for permissions and ratings. The App Tracking prompt is primed with a custom screen after the user has subscribed (01:54), and the rating prompt appears after some engagement (02:10).
The settings menu is comprehensive, offering controls for text size and offline reading, which are key for accessibility and convenience (04:58).

Monetization & growth

The app employs a metered paywall strategy. Users can browse headlines, but attempting to read an article triggers a paywall screen (01:07). The paywall presents two options: a monthly and a yearly plan, with the yearly plan highlighting a significant '70% savings' to anchor users towards the higher value offer (01:10). The purchase is a standard, low-friction process through the App Store, and is followed by a clear 'You're all set' confirmation (01:23) and a 'Thanks' screen (01:26).

Who it’s for

This app is designed for readers of the New York Daily News and those specifically interested in New York-centric news, politics, and sports. Its direct, no-frills approach is suitable for users who already have an affinity for the brand and want a straightforward way to access its content on mobile. The subscription model targets loyal readers willing to pay for unlimited access.

Notes & opportunities

The forced sign-up gate during onboarding (00:21) could be a point of friction for new users who want to sample the content before committing to an account. Allowing users to browse at least one or two articles before requiring a sign-up could improve initial engagement. Additionally, while the article view is clean, it lacks advanced features like a dedicated reader mode or audio playback, which could be an opportunity for future development.