South China Morning Post: News

What it does

The South China Morning Post app provides comprehensive news coverage focused on Hong Kong, mainland China, and the broader Asian region. It delivers breaking news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive stories across various categories like politics, business, and lifestyle. The app aims to be a primary source of information for readers interested in this part of the world, with personalization features to tailor the content to individual interests.

Where it shines

The app excels in its clear presentation of information and strong personalization tools. A great example is the proactive tutorial for menu customization at 02:10, which teaches users how to tailor their navigation bar—a feature many apps would bury in settings. Another highlight is the intuitive 'Browse Stories' gesture (01:22), which allows users to swipe horizontally between articles, creating a fluid and continuous reading experience without returning to the main feed.

UX highlights

Structured Feed: The main 'Headlines' feed is well-organized, using clear typography and visual hierarchy to distinguish between different stories.
Granular Controls: From the start, the app offers detailed control over notifications (00:03) and the main navigation (02:15), empowering the user.
Actionable Onboarding: The onboarding skips a generic feature tour in favor of active personalization, requiring users to select topics of interest (00:10).
Metered Access: A persistent banner (02:35) clearly communicates how many free articles remain, effectively demonstrating the value of a subscription without being overly intrusive.
Interactive Reading: Features like a simple font resize slider (01:53) and an accessible comments section (03:04) improve the core reading experience.
Clear Bookmarking: Saving an article is a simple, one-tap action, and the dedicated 'Bookmarks' section (04:35) provides easy access to saved content.

Monetization & growth

The app uses a metered paywall strategy. Users can read a few free articles per month before hitting a subscription prompt, as seen at 01:32 after an article is finished. The paywall itself is clean, presenting two main plans (annual and monthly) with a clear discount highlighted for the longer-term option. It also lists key benefits unlocked by subscribing, such as unlimited access and exclusive analysis, to frame the value proposition clearly.

Who it’s for

The app is designed for individuals with a keen interest in news and analysis related to Hong Kong, China, and Asia. This includes business professionals, academics, expatriates living in the region, and global citizens who want a specialized, in-depth perspective. The focus on topics like politics, economy, and technology suggests a target audience that values detailed reporting over casual news browsing.

Notes & opportunities

The onboarding journey has some minor friction. The sign-up process requires entering and confirming an email address on two separate screens (00:22 and 00:30), which could be streamlined into a single step. Additionally, the user is prompted to log in immediately after the sign-up confirmation, which feels like an unnecessary extra step. Combining these account creation and login flows could create a smoother first-time experience.