New York Times goes free in app update, Periscope moves beyond Twitter accounts

NYT Now

Version 2.0 of The New York Times app NYT Now drops a previous subscription paywall requirement, granting iOS device users free, unfettered access to all posted articles. Prior to today, The Times charged an $8 monthly fee for the service.

The update comes with a few user interface modifications, including a tweak that surfaces new articles to the top of user's feed for quick access to breaking news. A redesigned card-based UI further reduces clutter to present stories in a clear and concise manner.

Sharing features were likewise beefed up, as users now have the ability to send screenshots of story summaries in-app.

Finally, NYT Now is now compatible with password management app 1Password.

NYT Now is a free 15.2MB download from the iOS App Store.

Periscope

Twitter updated its popular live-streaming app Periscope with new profile creation options, allowing anyone with a phone number to sign up and use the app. Twitter accounts can still be used to create new profiles, but are no longer required.

In addition, users can change their profile picture using iPhone's built-in camera or uploading a photo from Camera Roll. Enhancements to the commenting system now allow broadcast viewers to directly reply to other members commenting on a stream.

The update squashed a few minor bugs involving verified Twitter badges, follower list sorting and broadcast history.

Periscope is a free 12.4MB download from the App Store.