With iOS 17 due in June 2023, Apple is releasing one last mini update with iOS 16.5. It’s only available as a beta for now but we expect it’ll be rolled out to everyone in April or May 2023.

The update includes the ability to use Siri to perform screen recordings. But the key information for Apple News publishers is that iOS 16.5 will add a dedicated Sports tab at the bottom of the Apple News app. This means sports publications will get a boost in reach and discoverability.

Apple has been giving sports publications a few new features recently with the introduction of the My Sports section in Apple News that was released late last year with iOS 16. With some sports publishers getting as much as 50% more unique views since that update on iOS 16, we expect performance to continue trending upwards with this latest iteration.

But reaching new readers and building brand awareness is only one aspect of the content strategy. Publishers who work with FlatPlan are then able to leverage this increased traffic by encouraging readers to convert with the use of bespoke conversion tools. 

These graphical CTAs sit within the content and can direct readers to subscribe, sign up to a newsletter or even encourage them to listen to their podcast. 

FlatPlan conversion tools can direct readers to any of the following:

• Visit websites
• Sign up to newsletters
• Visit subscription landing pages
• View publisher channels, articles or issues
• Download apps
• Listen to podcasts
• Follow a publisher on Apple News
• Read related articles
• Much more besides, just have a chat with us to find out more