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Audio journalism app Noa is driving forward with expansion into Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

Listen to the Evening Standard in your car, thanks to Noa: Noa
Listen to the Evening Standard in your car, thanks to Noa: Noa

Irish start-up Noa has been making waves since it launched in 2017 as an audiobook app for journalism and now it’s about to break ground in a new space: your car.

This week, the company has announced its new in-car apps for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto which will allow you to listen to news and features from print publications including the Evening Standard, New York Times and the Financial Times, as you drive to work or carry out chores.

Around 26 per cent of podcasts are listened to in the car, so it makes sense as the next step for Noa.

“When we think about connected vehicles, we see a massive opportunity to educate commuters with great quality journalism. Our goal is to make people ‘Warren Buffett smart, but without the significant time investment’. Our Android Auto and CarPlay apps mean we’re only a single click away for millions of commuters,” said Noa’s CEO Gareth Hickey.

“Embarking on new projects like this excites the team, our listeners, and investors. It’s an exciting time to be in the audio-journalism space.”

The Noa in-car apps have been simplified to ensure they are easy to use behind the wheel. Audio articles are grouped into topic-specific playlists, named Series, so you can simply plug in and go, accompanied by an article on what to expect from the Christmas election, or the killer effects of London’s air pollution problem.

By downloading the Noa app on your Android or iPhone, you will instantly be able to connect up in your car, as long as it supports Android Auto or CarPlay. Once you’ve parked up, you can then take out your headphones and listen to the rest of a story from your smartphone or Google Home speaker, thanks to the integration between the different listening forms so you can switch between devices.

Noa's human narrators read articles from your favourite publications (Noa)
Noa's human narrators read articles from your favourite publications (Noa)

It’s certainly gained Noa a lot of attention. The app was recently featured by Apple as one of its “Apps to love right now”. The company, which raised £500,000 in seed funding last year, plans to raise a Series A next year.

Hickey is interested in exploring the auto world and seeing where Noa can have an impact there. ““This launch will open the door to more in-car development opportunities. We’re already in discussions with many of the world’s largest automakers to further integrate Noa into the connected driving world,” he added.

Download Noa on Android or iOS​​

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