Tribune Publishing launches suite of Apple Watch apps for all eight of its major brands

Tribune Publishing has introduced a portfolio of new apps for the Apple Watch, the latest way for readers to consume breaking news and local content from the company's major media brands. The Apple Watch apps, available for download on the Apple Store® or the Apple Watch app, give consumers additional means to access award-winning content from eight major Tribune Publishing brands, including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Orlando Sentinel, Sun Sentinel, The Baltimore Sun, Hartford Courant, Daily Press (Newport News) and The Morning Call.

The Apple Watch apps, which link to Tribune Publishing's family of existing iOS apps, emphasize breaking local, state, national and world news. The centerpiece feature of the apps is a unique "listen" feature, in which users can tap a specific story to have the connected iPhone read the content aloud. Users also can instantly save stories for reading later on their iPhones or iPads, and receive notifications with a gentle tap via Apple's Taptic Engine technology when breaking news occurs.

"The Apple Watch apps represent the latest in our growing suite of digital offerings, which deliver premium local content to audiences in major markets across the country," said Bill Adee, executive vice president of digital. "The Apple Watch app gives our audience yet another platform – wearables – for instantly accessing the news that is most important to them – all via a touch to the wrist."

In addition to the unique Listen offering, other key features of the Apple Watch apps include the ability to receive push notifications via the smart watch:

• Push notifications, which allow consumers to stay up-to-date on the latest breaking news;
• "Save for Later," in which content can be saved to the users' individual iPhone or iPad for later consumption; and
• The "Glances" view gives consumers convenient access to the latest headline and more with a simple swipe from the watch face. Readers can also read entire stories with a simple tap on the screen.

The release of this series of apps represents Tribune Publishing's latest product offering to deliver its engaging, premium local content to consumers across all screens.