San Francisco — The tablet reader battle is going to get a whole lot more intense shortly, as both Google’s ‘Propeller’ and Yahoo’s Livestand are expected to unfurl their new digital newsstand apps as early as next week, according to reports from AllThingsD.
Yahoo is poised to populate the news and social reader space with the launch of its Livestand digital newsstand at a scheduled Wednesday press briefing, which it previewed earlier this year, aimed at tablets and smartphones and will offer content to people based on their personal interests, to take on incumbent Flipboard. Livestand will feature content from Yahoo!’s properties as well as outside publications, according to AllThingsD.
Also in the coming week, or sometime soon after, Google too will follow Yahoo with the launch of its news and social app for mobile, code name: Propellor, the site reports. The reports also suggests that it could debut with the name “Currents” under strong consideration for the Google app.
According to the Livestand launch page: Livestand is a digital newsstand that is always lively and effortlessly personalized. Just relax and enjoy the news, entertainment, and local information you love, right on your tablet. The more you use it, the more it gets to know you. Yahoo is touting the reader as a way for content publishers to reach its massive audience. Google is likely selling publishers on similar merits, though details of the project are harder to come by.
In addition, tapping on the publication steers you into a screen with one main story on top and three or four smaller ones at the bottom, (see image below). All of the boxes contain impressive photos, and they are customized based on preferences that have been determined thanks to activity on Yahoo.
Yahoo Livestand, as shown at its debut in February 2011. (Credit: Yahoo)
Meanwhile, Google’s Propeller is an HTML5-based reader compatible with the iPad and Android-based tablets. All Things D dubbed it essentially a “souped-up version” of Flipboard and other comparable apps. Propeller will also feature deep integration with Google’s social media network, Google+.
Besides, rumors of Google’s digital newsstand started swirling in January when the Wall Street Journal claimed that Google would launch such a service with partnerships with major publishers including Time Inc, Hearst, Conde Nast, and others. These partners could be joined by several others. All Things D did not mention companies but said Propeller will launch “with a plethora of media partners.”
Nevertheless, Google anticipates to unfurl it in part to provide a more consistent experience for consumers who want to read periodicals on Android devices, and to help publishers collect payment for their apps. Also Google is due to take a lesser share from the revenue, compared to Apple’s 30 percent charge on sale of apps over iTunes counter.
These apps are entering an already crowded space occupied by products like Flipboard, Pulse, CNN’s Zite, and AOL’s Editions. Apple also recently introduced its Newsstand, an app that empowers you to read and purchase magazines and newspapers, with iOS 5.
Interestingly, both the companies are targeting Flipboard, which has been downloaded 4 million times and has lined up 50 publishing partnerships. It also has a very tight connection with social media networks like Twitter and Facebook.
Flipboard, which was valued at $200 million in April, rejected an offer by Google to buy them out last year, said sources. Google informed Flipboard at the time of this denial that it would create a similar news platform to compete with them.
Finally, now it sounds as if Google has made good on that promise.