A few years ago, we introduced a built-in RSS reader in Smart Launcher called Your Feed.
Since then, the feature has grown quite a bit, to the point where we started wondering whether it could make sense outside Smart Launcher too.
That idea became Beaky News.
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Beaky News is a standalone RSS reader built using the same technology behind Your Feed in Smart Launcher.
For Smart Launcher users, it offers a more focused reading experience in a dedicated app. For everyone else, it makes our RSS experience available without requiring Smart Launcher.
With Beaky News, you choose exactly which sources you want to follow. There is no algorithm deciding what you should read, and we don't build a profile based on your interests. Articles come directly from your feeds and are shown chronologically.
Just like in Smart Launcher, adding a source doesn't always require finding its RSS address manually. Any source already shared by the community is easier to discover and follow, making the experience more approachable even for people who have never used an RSS reader before.
More Room to Experiment
Beaky News gives us a place to build things that would simply be too much for a page inside a launcher.
Compared to Your Feed, it already includes dedicated themes, more typography and accessibility controls, including font size, reading fonts and letter spacing, and a navigation experience designed specifically for a standalone app.
It also makes it easier to move between a clean reading view and the original webpage, depending on how you prefer to read each article.
And this is probably where the biggest difference will be in the future.
If an idea makes sense for a news reader but feels too complex or too specific for Smart Launcher, Beaky News is where we'll be able to explore it.
Still Part of Smart Launcher
Beaky News and Smart Launcher will continue to share most of their code.
This means improvements to the underlying technology will benefit both products. Beaky gives us more freedom to experiment, without leaving Your Feed behind.
The two apps don't currently sync feeds or reading history. Data stays on your device, just like it does today in Smart Launcher. Cross-device or cross-product sync is something we may explore in the future.
Beaky News will be available at no additional cost to users who already have a Smart Launcher Pro license*.
Other users will be able to use the app independently and unlock pro features with a separate purchase.
And just to be clear, Your Feed isn't going anywhere.
We just felt it had grown enough to deserve a place of its own.
Try Beaky News
Beaky News is currently available on Google Play in early access.
We also created a dedicated Telegram channel where you can follow development updates, new releases and other news about the app.
If you decide to give Beaky News a try, we'd really appreciate your feedback. Thanks to everyone who will help us test it, report issues and continue improving the experience with us.
* requires Smart Launcher 6.6 build 019 or higher to be installed on the same device, with a recognized Smart Launcher Pro license.
