WRAL app updated for improved tablet experience

The update represents a complete overhaul of the app layout for tablet devices to make better use of larger screens. While tablets are inherently designed to be mobile, most consumers are using their tablets at home, and as a result the WRAL News app has been designed for easy scanning of headlines, videos and slideshows.

“Our tablet audience is a dedicated audience,” explained Jake Seaton, digital product manager for WRAL.com. “With this redesign, we’re able to bring that audience the news it is accustomed to reading in a format that is optimized for that tablet experience.”

According to Catherine Boyle, a senior analyst at research firm eMarketer Inc., consumers are “more likely to be on tablets in the evening, and are probably going to be more relaxed and spending more time, so they might be more interested in an immersive experience.”

Among the features that only tablet users will experience using the WRAL News app is a new home screen that not only offers the day’s top headlines as curated by WRAL.com’s editorial staff, but also the most popular stories and videos that are trending on WRAL.com. This "waterfall" of content allows users to casually browse more stories that may interest them. The new layout also features more and larger photos and graphics.

Users who may be reading the app in landscape mode will also notice they have quick and easy access to other related headlines with a list of stories to the left of an article.

For those super users or cordcutters who may have the TV and their iPad on at the same time, video – including live newscasts – can be cast to Google Cast or Apple TV. Android tablet users can also cast video to Google Cast devices.