The news business may soon welcome a new, but very powerful player. Apple was reported to be interested in diving deeper into the news industry starting with a new application that could make the US tech giant a key stakeholder.
Apple News, part of the upcoming iOS 9 operating system, aims to be the primary news source for users of the iPhone and iPad - likely at the expense of sources such as Facebook, Google and news apps such as Flipboard.
In a surprising move, Apple has unveiled it will be hiring experienced journalists to manage its news feeds - marking a departure from the algorithmic process used by rivals.
"Apple is eager to have news created by human beings and not algorithms - it fits in with the brand statement Apple has been making," said Judd Slivka, a professor of mobile journalism at the University of Missouri.
"The expectation is they will put together a smart team that works well broadly across news and specific content areas."
Although Apple has offered few specifics on its plans, the company's jobs listing page said it is "looking for passionate, knowledgeable editors to help identify and deliver the best in breaking national, global, and local news."
The page said the editors should have "great instincts for breaking news, but be equally able to recognize original, compelling stories unlikely to be identified by algorithms."
This marks a distinction from rivals such as Facebook, which is crafting formulas that aim to deliver articles users want based on their Web habits, demographics and interests.
Rob Enderle, a Silicon Valley analyst at Enderle Group, said Apple is following a formula it has used in other areas, aiming for tight control of content to assure quality -- and shutting potential rivals out.
Enderle said Apple prefers to have its own application on its devices to give iPhone and iPad users easy access without turning to third parties such as Google or Facebook.
He said that when rumors surfaced that Google was interested in buying Flipboard, this spurred Apple to act.
"They didn't want Google to own a news device used by so many Apple users," Enderle said.
Apple News, part of the upcoming iOS 9 operating system, aims to be the primary news source for users of the iPhone and iPad - likely at the expense of sources such as Facebook, Google and news apps such as Flipboard.
In a surprising move, Apple has unveiled it will be hiring experienced journalists to manage its news feeds - marking a departure from the algorithmic process used by rivals.
"Apple is eager to have news created by human beings and not algorithms - it fits in with the brand statement Apple has been making," said Judd Slivka, a professor of mobile journalism at the University of Missouri.
"The expectation is they will put together a smart team that works well broadly across news and specific content areas."
Although Apple has offered few specifics on its plans, the company's jobs listing page said it is "looking for passionate, knowledgeable editors to help identify and deliver the best in breaking national, global, and local news."
The page said the editors should have "great instincts for breaking news, but be equally able to recognize original, compelling stories unlikely to be identified by algorithms."
This marks a distinction from rivals such as Facebook, which is crafting formulas that aim to deliver articles users want based on their Web habits, demographics and interests.
Rob Enderle, a Silicon Valley analyst at Enderle Group, said Apple is following a formula it has used in other areas, aiming for tight control of content to assure quality -- and shutting potential rivals out.
Enderle said Apple prefers to have its own application on its devices to give iPhone and iPad users easy access without turning to third parties such as Google or Facebook.
He said that when rumors surfaced that Google was interested in buying Flipboard, this spurred Apple to act.
"They didn't want Google to own a news device used by so many Apple users," Enderle said.
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