Predictably, the Sports Illustrated–SI.com app doesn’t really break down barriers. But it does do an excellent job of being Sports Illustrated. That’s good enough.
Despite Sports Illustrated’s legacy as the nation’s premier sports news source, I was skeptical about what the magazine’s website could bring to an iPhone app that I haven’t already seen. The app is based more on the website than the magazine itself, as the content reflects daily sports news and not the thoughtful features that are a hallmark of the magazine.
The first thing that struck me about this app was how much content it included. It’s not the entire SI.com website in an app, but it’s close. There are top stories, photos, scores, columnists and breaking news.
The Sports Illustrated app has a different design from the website, but it still manages to feel very much like it. From an aesthetic standpoint, it is one of the better looking sports news apps you will find.
Another big positive with this app is that when you click a headline to read, instead of being redirected to the site through Safari, the story opens within the app. As simple as this sounds, plenty of apps do not do this.
The app is based on writing, so if you’re not a fan of SI’s writers this probably isn’t the app for you. The score and photo sections are nice additions, but are secondary to the top-tier writing.
