Facebook Unveils its New ‘Paper’ News Reader iOS App [VIDEO]

Social networking giant Facebook has today unveiled its all new Paper app for iOS, which is a standalone news reader application similar to Flipboard, that has reportedly been in the works for a couple of years. The app delivers curated full-screen articles and photos in categories you select such as Tech, LOL, or Pop Culture, just like a newspaper.

Facebook explains in a blog post that Paper can be customized with a choice of more than a dozen sections about various themes and topics, ranging from photography and sports to food, science and design. Each section includes a mix of content from “emerging voices and well-known publications”. The app also also overhauls the design, letting users thumb sideways through “carefully designed ‘cards’ for each post” rather than vertically through a stream of content.

The social networking company claims that Paper reimagines storytelling and sharing to “show the stories at their best”. Below are some highlights of the new app:

• Everything responds to your touch so you can pick up or thumb through stories with simple, natural movements.
• You can tilt your phone to explore high-resolution panoramic photos from corner to corner, and see faces and other important details up close.
• Fullscreen autoplay videos come to life and bring you deep into the action.
• Beautifully detailed covers make it easy to spot articles from trusted publishers and decide what to read or watch. Articles unfold in the app and appear fullscreen for a focused reading experience.
• When you’re ready to tell your own story, you know exactly what your post or photo will look like because you see a live preview before you share it.

Paper will launch in the iTunes App Store in U.S. on February 3rd, the day before Facebook’s 10th birthday.