• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, September 4, 2015

In fact, the CNN News app will be available on Samsung’s new Gear S2 smartwatch before consumers even strap it on, thanks to a deal between the broadcaster and Samsung, which will preload the app on all of the new watches.

The app gives users access to breaking headlines on their watch whenever they check the time, with the option of then loading the full story or HD video on the accompanying watch app or a linked smartphone. Users can also browse news sections by twisting the watch’s bezel dial.

Under the terms of the deal, the CNN News app will also be preloaded on the Galaxy Tab S2 tablet, Galaxy S6 edge and edge+ smartphones and Galaxy Note5. On the S6, the app includes a news ticker scrolling across the edge bar, and users can tap on individual items in the ticker to access more content.

The CNN News app offers curated HD video collections and a range of news and programs, and was designed specifically for Samsung devices. To access CNN’s live feed, the device owner must sign in with their cable TV subscriber ID.

According to CNN chief product officer Alex Wellen: “Mobile consumption now drives the majority of CNN’s digital traffic.”  

There has been something of a news app stampede following the launch of Apple Watch. The list of publishers that have produced apps for Apple Watch includes The New York Times, The Guardian Time Inc., and ABC News, among many others.