The News app may finally be expanding its international reach. Since 2019, the app has been exclusively available in the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia.
More than five years on, according to the Financial Times, Apple is finally looking to add new supported countries. Apple monetizes News app through a combination of display advertising and the News+ premium subscription.
The report says Apple currently has about 100 editors across New York, London, Sydney and California.
Unlike some rivals, the News app depends heavily on a team of human editorial curators to select top stories and make new featured sections. Other parts of the application are produced algorithmically.
However, the significance of the human touch has stalled Apple’s international rollout efforts in the past, as expansion necessitates more manpower and increased domestic coverage.
But the Financial Times indicates Apple is finally preparing to do the work and expand availability. The report does not detail exactly which additional countries are in the works, unfortunately. However, the efforts will also apparently include bringing some of the currently US-only News app content to the UK, like the News+ word games and Sudoku puzzles.
It remains unclear how financially lucrative the service is, both in terms of advertising income and News+ subscription numbers. Publishers generally report that the News app sends a lot of traffic, but monetization is much more difficult.
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