CNN launches iPad app

CNN has launched their new iPad app which the broadcaster says is designed to provide users with an “immersive and visual news experience” that takes full advantage of iPad’s expansive real estate and multi-touch interface.

CNN also says that its iPhone and iPod touch app in the US will now be available for free, and a major update to the International version will add live breaking news video.

“High quality, world-class journalism is what CNN does best, whether live breaking news, hard-hitting interviews or in-depth investigations, and our iPad app presents that content to the world in a wholly new way,” says KC Estenson, senior vice president and general manager of CNN.com.

“This app harnesses the best of what the iPad offers by leveraging striking photos and videos; elegant, multi-touch navigation; and the ability to share content with your friends via social media.”

The iPad app also features a launch advertiser in car manufacturer Lexus.

The app combines imagery with reporting from CNN, including text stories, blog posts, photo galleries, and live or on-demand video. Users have the ability to toggle between US and International News Preferences, both of which serve live video of breaking news and select events as they happen. When in the US News Preference, users can listen to hourly audio news updates from CNN Radio.

CNN says its new app places strong emphasis on user participation, adding an accessible user comment feature that runs alongside content on the screen. Users are also able to share text stories, images and videos from the App via email, Facebook and Twitter.

“One of the things about the app that excites us most is the ability to serve the news needs of iPad users while also exposing them to original, enterprise content from CNN that will surprise and delight them,” says Louis Gump, vice president of CNN Mobile.

“The CNN App was built from the ground-up with our consumers in mind, and we are proud of the new CNN experience we’ve created for the device.”

The CNN App for iPad provides users with three viewing options: Broadsheet, List View and Slide Show.

“Broadsheet” is the default view, presenting up to 350 of the latest news stories in a grid-format featuring imagery and headlines. Users are able to dive more deeply into a topic by selecting from any of the headlines or from a variety of topics. In addition, users can access the “Featured” section, which houses editorially-curated stories representing a cross-section of CNN’s most enterprising reporting. Finally, Broadsheet’s “Video” section includes a premium collection of on-demand video clips from CNN’s television networks and CNN.com.

The “List View” features a running list of headlines by topic and by category and the “Slide Show View” allows users to scroll or swipe through a visual presentation of the day’s top headlines.

The app is available for free in the App Store.