The Galaxy View is big. Really, really big – the 18.4-inch device seems to be intended as a tabletop computer rather than a conventional portable tablet. Samsung‘s custom version of Android will make good use of the extra space, but even the tablet apps on the Play Store probably aren’t well-formatted for a screen the size of a small PC monitor. To make sure users are getting a good experience on their Galaxy View, CNN has made an app especially for the tablet… probably with a little encouragement (read: payment) from Samsung.
“CNN for Samsung Galaxy View” is, of course, only compatible with the Galaxy View, but it’s been published to the Play Store presumably for the sake of easy updates. The app uses a large magazine-style format – note the relatively small slide-out menu text. There’s also a focus on video stories and photo galleries, taking advantage of the Galaxy View’s form factor, plus alert notifications for breaking stories. Local news and weather is also included.
The Play Store won’t allow you to download the Galaxy View version of CNN to other Android devices, but it might be possible to sideload it onto other tablets… the 12.2-inch Galaxy Tab Pro, for example, or the upcoming Pixel C. We’ll see. The Galaxy View doesn’t have an official price or release date yet, but it’s expected to retail for $599.