App sends news stories through texts, emojis and gifs

Quartz's new app enables users to access news stories through texts, gifs and instant messages on smartphones and smartwatches.

We’ve seen how an app is looking to change the way people read news by providing three different reports from three different perspectives for each story. Now Quartz has developed an app that sends news alerts through SMS, gifs, and emojis.

Quartz’s app aims to deliver a new way for readers to consume mobile news. With around 60 percent of readers accessing their content on mobile devices, the business and technology website’s new app aims to deliver news in a manner similar to texting or instant messaging — sending photos, gifs, links and letting the reader decide what they are interested in.

Quartz says the app aims to keep readers informed and entertained, mixing more light relief style storytelling with daily news. When readers interact with the notifications on their phone or Apple Watch, it brings up the full news story, most of which only take a few minutes to read.

Some of the more quirky features include emojis to notify users of economic developments on Apple Watches, or haikus to update users on stock market performance. The app also integrates advertising onto the platform, with the aim of showing them unobtrusively and in parallel with content.

Quartz is now available in the App Store. In what other ways can news providers optimize their stories for smartphones and smartwatches?