Sky News app arrives for iPhone

Sky News - 'Your Report' for citizen journalists/time wasters
Sky News - 'Your Report' for citizen journalists/time wasters

Following the success of ITN's news app on the iPhone, Sky News has finally got in on the act and unveiled its own free application for Apple's handset.

The Sky News app delivers breaking news by text images and video – giving seven different categories including the popular 'strange' section, resplendent with reports on 'New Zealand Mums In Online Auction Hole' (Sky's capitals) and 'Great Cat Video'.

But the USP for Sky News' app is the 'your report' button which allows citizen journalists to give the news channel their content for nothing, or try to convince the real journos that they have discovered the face of the messiah in their cornflakes.

A first for Sky News viewers

"We are delighted that the video capabilities of this app for iPhone and iPod touch bring yet another first to Sky News viewers," said the company's new media Exec Producer James Weeks.

"We have spent a long time developing this app to make sure that it delivers first class breaking news in the way that Sky News viewers and web users have come to expect.

"We are also looking forward to receiving news and pictures from iPhone users, further enhancing our reputation for being first for breaking news, wherever you are."

The Sky News app does not represent Sky's first foray into the app market, with its brilliant Sky+ remote record application rightfully going great guns.

"The app, which launched 5 April 2009, has to date had more than 260,000 downloads and currently an average of 60 per cent of the total Remote Record requests to Sky+ are being received through the new application," concluded Sky's release.

Patrick Goss

Patrick Goss is the ex-Editor in Chief of TechRadar. Patrick was a passionate and experienced journalist, and he has been lucky enough to work on some of the finest online properties on the planet, building audiences everywhere and establishing himself at the forefront of digital content.  After a long stint as the boss at TechRadar, Patrick has now moved on to a role with Apple, where he is the Managing Editor for the App Store in the UK.