NEWS: Apple’s new News app encourages their users to stay informed about the world.
By Michelle Boulos, Staff Writer
We live in a time and age where our lives revolve around our phones. Every communication we make, every note we record, every song we listen to relies on our phones. Outside of our mobile devices, we don’t go out of our way to learn any new information, and it’s only convenient that with Apple’s new iOS 9 update, they have added a News app.
The News app allows users to pick their favorite newspapers, magazines, and journals, which offer updates allowing the user to keep up with all the latest ongoing stories and articles published. Not only do adults find it expedient, but it harbors a new wave of learning among teenagers.
It isn’t very often that you’d find a student, probably drowning in homework, that is very up to date with what is going on across the ocean. Now, one click allows them to check up on what is going on in the world, even with the option of reading the same story from multiple sources.
I benefit greatly from the nascent application, which can satisfy my boredom at any given time. I constantly find myself checking and refreshing for any news to get my hands on and to be further informed about the world. My sentiment is not unique; many of my friends and fellow students have found use in the new app. “I think the news app is a great way for anyone to educate themselves about what is current events. Even if you don’t like a certain writer or company there is diverse selection to chose from. More people need to spend time concerning other people than on social media or themselves,” said Trinity Long (10).
The app became an easy way to stay updated, so my friends and I started to share stories with one another. It helped cultivate an environment among us where we could not only send each other articles but discuss them and dedicate full conversations and Socratic discussions about the facts in the story, or on which side we would stand on an issue. Overall, I am finding that Apple’s new addition to the iPhone could help teenagers find their character and their values, just by being up to date on what’s happening in our world.
Not only can you keep up with politics and current events, but celebrity and fashion magazines such as People, Vogue and Elle are available to read and download as well. There is a wide variety of stories to choose from depending on your interest, and different topics can be searched, all within reach your fingertips.
Hopefully teenagers won’t swipe past the app and dismiss it. It is necessary that students are aware of current events and how these events affect them, and Apple has made it easier than ever. Students can no longer make excuses as to why they are not up-to-date on current events. Now we have that availability, and every teen should take advantage of it.