SQUID App (Njuice AB), a news aggregator for publications across 60 countries, will launch its app on the Apple Store within the week. It already launched its Android app in the Philippines on May 11.
SQUID offers users a personalized news feed based on smart algorithms from over 100 news categories and 20,000 sources worldwide.
Theirs is a news service that targets millennials in Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, said country manager Flora Mae Y. Torres.
“Our belief is that free media is of utmost importance in a democracy, and [that] the better-informed citizens are, the better decisions they can make for the future,” she told BusinessWorld in an e-mail.
“We want to help younger generations rediscover news reading as a fun, valuable and engaging daily activity — in the language they prefer,” said Johan Othelius, CEO and founder of SQUID App, in a press statement.
The app drives traffic to websites in order to help its publishing partners gain additional revenue. By clicking either the headline or image of a story, users are directed to publishers’ web pages, Ms. Torres said.
“SQUID doesn’t reproduce the publication articles,” she said in the e-mail. “It will embed your entire publication within your app so that your reader will read it in the context on your site header. Users will also see the publications’ ads featured on their sites.”
Among the publications found in the app are BBC Minute, Al Jazeera, Politico, Sky News, Channel News Asia, The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Brigada News, and Remate Online.
SQUID would be happy to discuss syndication with publishers, Ms. Torres added.
Given Filipinos’ inclination for social media, the app has moreover created its own Facebook page to raise awareness of its brand.
The Stockholm-headquartered company was founded in 2015. It was named SQUID to represent the marine animal’s many arms grasping for interesting stories.
“Believe it or not, squids are really smart animals. They are able to count, solve problems, recognize patterns, and communicate,” said Ms. Torres. “Communication is the core of our business.” — Patricia Mirasol