Today is a mobile news app designed to give semi-literate smartphone users in developing countries all the information they need to know today. It delivers news in an engaging, graphic and image-heavy format inspired by Snapchat Discover.
Major news organizations do not cater to the needs of people who are not highly educated or fluent in English. News outlets assume their reader has more familiarity with the topics than they actually do, and many too often get bogged down in the nitty gritty, missing the big picture.
Today aims to make the news more readable and educational by both informing and teaching readers about world issues. The articles featured on Today assume no previous familiarity with the story thread. No article takes more than five minutes to read.
For example, the first article on Today explains the new scientific finding that shows the earth experienced record-setting temperatures in 2016. Today includes on a short explanation of climate change with complementary graphics. The graphics are simple and easy to follow. This stands in stark contrast to the equivalent article in the New York Times, which recounts the complex climate debate and focuses on the methodology of the study.
Today builds user dependence by displaying the daily weather and by sending readers an automated newsletter about the stories of the day. Each article includes social buttons to encourage social media and email sharing.
The app features a search bar and segmentation by article type, including a “trending” tab of most-read articles. In addition, app also helps users improve their vocabulary by including a dictionary feature when readers click-hold a word.
