Well it finally arrived. The Associated Press iPhone app. The difference with this app is that is has push functionality. “Push functionality, wtf is that Ern?” you ask. Push functionality means that the app does not have to be open for it to update you of something happening. In the case of The Associated Press app if a breaking story hits their newswires the app wakes up your iPhone and tells you that headline. It is awesome and will change the way all apps will work in the future.

You can also share any story from The Associated Press app by selecting the share icon at the bottom of every story. The cool thing if you look at the picture above (click to enlarge) is the locations you can share to. You can text it to a friend, you can email it, you can share it through your Twitter stream and you can send it to your Facebook wall.

Awesome stuff hey? Well I have some concerns. If we all download this app onto our iPhone and iPod Touches and use this as our way to get news, what will happen to our local newspapers? Will we stop reading them? Will we visit their websites and interact with them?

Why the concern? I forgot to mention in this app you can set it to glean news relevant to your zip code … yep your local news via this app. Where will this leave an already under pressure industry? I worry that this app will make us lazy in hunting for news relevant to ourselves. Why look for it when it can come to you? Why fire up my browser and visit my local papers website?

I love local news and will still interact with and buy my local newspaper. Will you?

Tweet Me