Apple News+: I’m liking it

I mentioned on Monday as part of my first look at Apple’s announcements that I wasn’t so sure about Apple News+. After just a couple of days of use, I’m starting to change my mind.

My initial thought was that I stopped reading magazines years ago and that I wouldn’t read digital magazines. Strangely, that part is still right for me. If Apple News+ was a collection of magazines that I could download and read, I probably wouldn’t bother with it beyond the free trial.

I love to read fascinating stories from great writers. After work, I rarely read technology stories—I tend to read more human interest or sometimes just quirky bits of information that I can thoroughly enjoy.

The same is true for the podcasts I listen to regularly—not one of them is a tech podcast. I listen to podcasts that have fascinating interviews with people from around the world.

These types of stories and podcasts take me away from the typical information I get as a tech blogger and podcaster.

And this is where Apple News+ surprised me a bit.

The main page of Apple News+ is set up just like the free version of Apple News is on the iPhone. There is a collection of stories in a variety of topic areas that you can choose to read.

As I began reading, I noticed that very few of the stories were from the same magazine. Instead, I was reading stories that interested me, not magazines that interested me. That’s a huge distinction.

I do not have the time in my day, nor the inclination, to sit down and thumb through a magazine to see if anything interests me.

I like the way that Apple News+ presents the information to me. There is no doubt that these magazines have talented writers, but there is no way I would ever find some of the stories I’ve read in the last couple of days if I was left to find them on my own.

If Apple News+ is able to continue recommending quality stories, I will continue to be a subscriber.