Sway is the new app from Microsoft that promises to change the way in which people tell stories to one another. Using a powerful sorting algorithm, Sway makes it easier to create stories and share information. Sway for Office has been available since the 1st of October, however Sway Preview, a more feature light version, is rolling out to thousands of users every week.
The focus of this is user feedback. As Microsoft is helping in telling the stories of others, they want to know what you think and how to make the service better. The most popular features suggested by users will then work their way into the main application, becoming core to its functionality. Those who can’t get an invite are encouraged to weigh in on Twitter and Facebook.
“We’re a few weeks into Sway Preview, and we’ve been thrilled by the overwhelming interest we’ve had so far. Each week we’re inviting thousands of people from our waitlist to join us on our journey. If you’re still waiting for an invite, we want to thank you for your patience. In the meantime, be sure to follow and engage with us on Twitter and Facebook,” Microsoft stated in an official blog post.
This new app is typical of the ‘new’ Microsoft, following Satya Nadella’s much quoted mantra of ‘mobile first, cloud first’, the Sway mobile app is available only to iPhone users in New Zealand, others will have to wait. With Microsoft’s ‘Garage’ project yielding fruit on Windows Phone and the Sway Preview seeing strong interest, it’s very likely that we will see a lot more of this more experimental bent, divorced from OS preferences and old loyalties as Nadella pushes his vision forward.
Further reading: iPhone, Microsoft, Sway, Sway Preview
