• by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer @lauriesullivan, September 7, 2021

Microsoft began today rolling out Start, a personalized news feed filled with content from premium publishers, although the company did not name any launch partners.

It’s a standalone website with mobile apps running on Android and iOS mobile apps.

Start also provides news and topics of interest on the Windows 10 taskbar, Widgets in Windows 11, and on the Microsoft Edge new tab page.

“I often jump between my laptop and my phone to stay informed,” wrote Liat Ben-Zur, Microsoft corporate vice president, product marketing and growth, in a post. “Each time I switch devices it feels like I’m starting from scratch. Now, I can get started where I left off. When I’m logged in using my Microsoft account, Microsoft Start showcases consistent content regardless of how I access it.”

Ben-Zur describes, without providing details, how Microsoft links the PC to the television to the mobile device, and perhaps the automobile. The feature connects behavior as consumers jump from one device to another.

This connection gives marketers an omnichannel approach to marketing and advertising.

It gives publishers a way to determine how the content is being consumed. And it gives publishers and advertisers a way to follow consumers' reading and use habits and patterns.

Start brings new technology to content experiences like Microsoft’s advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, combined with human moderation, to help people stay up to date with information that is personalized for their interests.

When fully rolled out, Start will include content from more than 1,000 global premium publishing brands. The new feed essentially combines the functions of MSN and Microsoft News, though the former will still exist as its own product.

Start will also run on Windows 11, which becomes generally available October 5. The release comes six years after the launch of Windows 10.

On the mobile app, users gain one-click access to daily activities like search, weather, finance, news and shopping.

The new feed combines functions of MSN, which will remain as a product, and Microsoft News.