How news apps can make better use of double-wide tile. Your thoughts?

[aaa6112]

I've been using BBC Mobile News and USA Today as my go-to news apps for some time now and I just installed the WP8 version of AP Mobile, which I think is well-done too. While I enjoy catching up with the latest news on all these apps, I like BBC's take on the double-wide tile. I personally like to have as much information available without having to open an app. And BBC's double-wide tile does just that. It gives me about 6 most recent headlines and if I find anything interesting, I open the app. Otherwise, I don't (unless I want to open it and catch up with the news anyways). However, not everybody might want their double-wide tile the way I do.

With this in mind, I think devs can further improve user-experience by allowing some level of customization to their double-wide tiles. Some potential options:

1. Default. The double-wide live tile would appear as it does now.

2. Multiple news healines on either side of the tile. A small logo on the front accompanied by, say, 3 most recent news headlines on the front, and another 3 headlines on the flip side. If the user could choose what kind of news to display on either side, that would be simply perfect. For instance, 'top headlines' on the front and 'sports' on the back.

3. One news headline and its contents. On the front, the logo and one recent news headline and on the flip side, contents of that news article. Again, letting the user choose what news to display would make it perfect. Thanks to the dev of NewsSpot for sharing this idea with me.

4. Throw in some pictures or use them as tile backgrounds. I'm sure there are many other ways the space on the double-wide tile can be utilized efficiently.

What do you guys think? Do you have any suggestions? I simply love how WP8 lets you make your start screen uniquely yours and the devs have done a great job releasing updates to their apps that are WP8-compatible. I hope we can provide useful ideas and suggestions that might help devs figure which way they want to go with their tiles. With so many ways devs can continue to build upon such fantastic apps and further improve user-experience, one can only be super excited.

 

[bilzkh]

I agree with what you've said regarding apps, but I think Microsoft needs to begin taking the double-wide tile a few steps further. For example, when you long-press a tile and make it pop out you should be able to scroll through the list of new articles (or emails; or FB updates; or tweets, etc).

 

[aaa6112]

I see where you're coming from. And while I think some of us (myself included) might like that feature, others might look at it as an unnecessary complication in the start screen.

 

[bilzkh]

I see where you're coming from. And while I think some of us (myself included) might like that feature, others might look at it as an unnecessary complication in the start screen.

Possibly, but it's up to the user if they'd like to use it or not. I think the challenge is for Windows Phone's software engineers and programmers, as well as design thinkers, to make it happen in a way that doesn't obstruct users.

I guess a simpler thing could be to cut text off when they're reaching the end of the tile. For example, I have an email on my tile that goes "|meh meh meh me|" when it'd look much better if it were "|meh meh meh ...|" Just an aesthetic suggestion.

 

[Mikko Mallikas]

I'd like to see this kind of use of live tile at least with Facebook, news reader and mail apps. Just a setting in a app where you could turn it on/off. Best example I've seen is Chronos calendar double wide tile. You can set your own background image and tweak how calendar markings show on your tile.

 

[cybodroid]

I've never been too fond of using the widgets or live tiles in news apps. Usually it's only one article at a time and rarely is it one that you're really interested in. It's not really practical for me to have so much space taken up for something you're not going to use all that much. I'd much rather prefer having a simple shortcut where I can just open the client entirely and be presented with all the topics onscreen at once.

My only exception to this is the News app on Windows 8 since it's always displaying the nation's most pressing story and repeatedly it's been my first notice to significant events. I'm not as willing to do this on my phone where space is more of a concern.