Ten years after its establishment in 2004, Facebook has received its first complete app overhaul with Paper, the social network’s newest addition to its mobile offerings.
Paper, Facebook’s newest iPhone application, is an Apple-designed app that reimagines the Facebook newsfeed in a number of horizontal, picture-based feeds. It is Facebook with broader topic access and aesthetics rethought for users in 2014.
Paper removes a number of features that clutter the current Facebook. It also does not have ads on its news feed, revamping the Facebook experience in a way that makes users want to post, even if they were not in the habit of doing so previously.
Those familiar with the old Facebook app will notice the different interface Paper offers as well as the aesthetic new design.
Chelsea Mason, freshman public relations major, said she enjoyed her first experiences with Paper, noting not only its clean interface but also how much the app made her want to be on Facebook on her phone.
“I love the modern feel it has,” Mason said. “All the things I love about Facebook, I have here.”
Perhaps the greatest difference between Paper and Facebook Mobile or Messenger is the presence of alternative feeds. In addition to personalized Facebook feeds, Paper offers 20 news sections, including “Headlines,” “Ideas,” “Exposure,” “Tech” and “Creators” for artistic and creative news stories.
Christina Chun, senior health education major, said the new app is a luxury that has a broad appeal for those interested in consistent access to news, but that might not be as necessary for people who use Facebook for social networking alone.
“I don’t need that much information on my feeds, but it’s really cool,” Chun said. “People who are interested in keeping up with the world in an engaging way will certainly enjoy this (Facebook pages) app.”
Paper, at its heart, is an app that presents Facebook less as a never-ending feed and more as individual stories. Each story with its own personality presented in fuller, more engaging displays. It is the Facebook that millions of people worldwide are familiar with, reinvented for news-seeking audiences.
