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Sept. 2, 2014, 2:55 p.m.
Mobile & Apps
LINK: variety.com  ➚   |   Posted by: Justin Ellis   |   September 2, 2014

Reddit has finally made its Ask Me Anything interviews a little more reader-friendly. Today the site released an official Ask Me Anything app for iOS that streamlines the Q&A series for reading and engaging on mobile devices. Users are able to access Reddit’s archive of AMAs and participate in live interviews.

The AMA series has grown in popularity in recent years as politicians, celebrities, and astronauts have submitted themselves to questions from the crowd. But anyone who has tried to wade into an AMA knows that the Q&As can be dense and difficult to read thanks to Reddit’s archaic design.

The app emphasizes readability and accessibility in an attempt to reach new users. It’s a smart idea that allows Reddit a chance to grow while not alienating the site’s more loyal and longstanding readers. This is not the first time Reddit has tried to launch a mobile app, but it comes at a time when the company is exploring ways to grow and find new sources of revenue.

According to Variety, the app is also Reddit’s attempt to reach a growing mobile audience:

In August, 40% of new users came from mobile, five times what it was in the same month three years ago. One-third of page views come from mobile web. How many more are coming in from third-party apps isn’t known.

“We’ve found in the last year or so a huge uptick in people accessing Reddit from the mobile web, and we want to give those folks a great experience,” said Pao.

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