April 5, 2013

Ten Canadian publishers including The Toronto Star and Elle Canada have rolled out Windows 8 applications to have interaction with readers via their smartphones and tablets.

The publishers have partnered with Polar Mobile and are using the MediaEverywhere Platform. Since its launch last year, publishers are increasingly observing the Windows 8 operating system to reinforce the reading experience.

“When Microsoft introduced Windows 8 inside the fall of last year, it brought significant changes to the operating system’s platform, specializing in improving its user experience on mobile devices including tablets,” said Kunal Gupta, CEO of Polar Mobile, Toronto.

“Swiping and other gestures are more intuitive, which ends up in an excellent tablet experience,” he said.

“A unique feature about Windows 8 apps is that the sharing feature is more prominent, which inspires engagement.”

Reader engagement
Windows 8 apps were launched for Canadian Living, The Hockey News, Elle Canada, Elle Quebec, Canadian Football League, Les Affaires, The Toronto Star, Fight Network, House & Home and Lainey Gossip.

All of the apps can be found for free of charge download in Microsoft’s Windows Marketplace and layer interaction on top of the publication’s editorial content.

Elle Canada’s Windows 8 app, as an instance, is targeted towards fashion-savvy readers and includes news on current trends, celebrity gossip and a piece for daily horoscopes. Additionally, readers can send content to family and friends via Facebook and Twitter.

Elle Canada’s Windows 8 app

For House & Home, the Windows 8 app focuses more on inspiring readers through photos and blogs. Readers can flick thru photos which are grouped into categories together with designers and room in a home.

The Toronto Star’s app lets readers flip through news by the date that it’s far published.

Polar Mobile worked with Toronto-based agency Jet Cooper to aid build the apps.

Nowadays, it’s critical for publishers to have a presence across multiple devices. Fragmentation remains a controversy, and consumers often pick up and browse content across different screens simultaneously.

House & Home’s app

Mobile reads
In addition to the launch of the hot Windows 8 apps, travel intelligence media company Skift has also launched a mobile site it truly is powered by Polar Mobile.

The site may be accessed at http://m.skift.com and lets consumers browse and share the most recent news and content geared towards professionals within the travel industry.

Social is played up inside the site with an interactive bar that stretches around the screen when users share a piece of writing. Content could be shared via Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, LinkedIn or email.

“The majority of publishers that we work with at Polar Mobile have both a mobile site and an app,” Mr. Gupta said.

“Having an app and a mobile site increases both discoverability and monetization opportunities,” he said.

“For publishers who’re choosing to move the app route, native features equivalent to sharing and push notifications are key factors.”

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is associate reporter on Mobile Marketer, New York

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