Yes, News Corp (NYSE: NWS) owned TV news channel Sky News is just the latest news org to jump on the app bandwagon. Its new iPhone tool packs the usual mix of news section feeds, includes three headline video wrap-ups (only for top heads, showbiz and weather, but not for individual stories), and, weirdly, a page inviting SMS alerts sign-ups. The stand-out feature is “Your Report”, allowing users to send stories with text and mobile photos to the Sky newsdesk. More here.
BBC News, of course, doesn’t have an official app, and that means a big trade in unofficial BBC apps. The latest, misleadingly named “BBC Sport“, is a feed reader that packages Auntie’s free sports news – but sells for £1.79 ($2.86) on Apple’s store. Sure, it takes some skill to build an RSS app, but how long before the BBC decides that it’s its content, rather than than the app, that’s being sold here… ?