Agence France-Presse launches news application for BlackBerry

August 4, 2009

The AFP's mobile strategy is blossoming

News agency Agence France-Presse, known as AFP, has launched a news application for Research In Motion's BlackBerry smartphones.

AFP tapped Handmark, a provider of games, applications and services for mobile phones, to create AFP Mobile News for BlackBerry. The application provides users with one-click access to AFP content, including full news stories and photos.

"As a global news agency, we focus on providing our content to our professional and media clients," said Katie Juhl, Washington, DC-based business development manager of North America at AFP. "More recently we felt the need to also offer content solutions.

"Our mobile applications are intended and designed to be white-labeled by our media clients," she said.

"In the meantime, consumers like to receive AFP information in the way they want and in a very customizable manner.

The AFP app contains mobile ad inventory

"The AFP Mobile News application for Blackberry is meeting that demand."

The world's first international news agency, AFP offers a global perspective on stories from the U.S., Canada and the rest of the world, with thousands of journalists based in 165 countries.

Handmark, a developer and distributor of mobile content and storefronts for 10 years, specializes in mobile games, applications, ringtones and themes.

AFP also launched �F�tbol Ya!, a Spanish-language soccer application for Apple's iPhone and iPod touch available as a customizable mobile platform for Hispanic media (see story).

The AFP Mobile News application for BlackBerry is an extension of the AFP and Handmark relationship. Earlier this year, Handmark announced a new version of Pocket Express with AFP as a major news provider to the mobile service (see story).

As a part of AFP's mobile strategy to provide solutions and content to news outlets and consumers, the BlackBerry application will be available for complete client customization and will let users add their own feeds and customize the branding.

Key features of the new AFP mobile application include optimized content such as full news stories and photos from a variety of categories, including news, business, sports, life, technology and international.

Because the application is customizable, AFP believes the app appeals to the mass market, as opposed to a specific target demographic.

AFP has partnered with mobile ad network Millennial Media to deploy mobile ads within the application.

"As AFP is an independent news agency, we cannot affiliate directly with advertisers or brands on our own sites or applications and prefer to work with advertising networks," Ms. Juhl said.

"AFP is working in partnership with our development partner, Handmark, to market the application in the Americas via online and mobile storefronts such as BlackBerry App World and Handmark's partners," she said.

The app features offline functionality for use when wireless service or an Internet connection is unavailable.

There is a share feature for users to send stories to friends with one click.

Extensive keypad shortcuts with a guided tutorial help users learn how to use the application.

The Keywords Tab lets users create custom content based on user-designated keywords. The My Feeds Tab lets users include custom feeds.

The AFP mobile application is available for all BlackBerry smartphones with a trackball or touch-screen, including the Tour, Curve 8900 and Storm in the U.S.

Users can download the mobile application for a one-time cost of $2.99 from the Handmark Web site or in BlackBerry App World.

AFP is also currently developing WAP sites and applications for other smartphones.

"For example, I am currently working with our development partner, Momac, to build sites in both English and Spanish geared for North American audiences," Ms. Juhl said. "For clients and consumers in Spain, we have already launched http://www.afpmovil.es.

"We have already launched a Spanish language soccer application for iPhone," she said. "We also plan to quickly deploy solutions for all of the other smartphone operating systems."

Staff Reporter Dan Butcher covers ad networks, banking and payments, carrier networks, manufacturers, and software and technology. Reach him at dan@mobilemarketer.com.