The co-founders of Instagram are launching Artifact, a new personalized news app. The new software by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger had a waitlist when it first launched last month, but now anyone with an iOS or Android device may download Artifact and give it a try.
Despite the reputation of Artifact’s designers, the way I read news on my phone hasn’t changed much. The app’s algorithmic sorting causes it to frequently offer me days-old news that I don’t care about, even while the home tab’s stream of stories has content that I normally find interesting.
Although the “Headlines” button offers groups of stories arranged by subjects, I don’t often swipe there. After reading 10 articles, a new feature that will illustrate your reading history makes the profile tab potentially more intriguing. It turns out that my top three categories are artificial intelligence, video games, and IT firms.
A few further new features are also being added by Artifact. Thumbs up for the functionality that will allow you to thumb down an article to see fewer stories just like it.
Also, the app will let you know about articles that are popular among your network if you sync your contacts with it. Although it might be useful, I’m generally hesitant to sync my contacts with an app, thus I’m not likely to use it. It kind of reminds me of Nuzzel.
For iOS and Android, Artifact is a free app that is currently accessible.
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