MSN.com is getting a makeover.
Microsoft’s new-look news hub, which you can check out in beta mode at preview.msn.com, was built “from the ground up for a mobile-first, cloud-first world” — a mentality that’s now shared across the company.
In the new homepage, seen above, you’ll notice the cleaner design and a new top banner that allows for easy access to Microsoft services, in addition tools like Facebook and Twitter. The new site is also optimized for touch and is responsive to different devices.
Here’s a look at the current site:
Another change: All the content for the new site comes from Microsoft partners like The New York Times and CNN — not from contract and freelance writers like Microsoft had employed in the past.
Microsoft also announced today that it is releasing MSN.com apps — which are currently on Windows Phone branded as Bing apps — for iOS and Android “in the coming months.” The idea is to provide a seamless way for people to catch up on their personalized news, no matter where you are. For example, your MSN.com preferences will update across several devices when change.
“You only need to set your favorites once, and your preferences will be connected across MSN, Cortana, Bing and other Microsoft experiences,” noted Brian McDonald in this blog post.
