Google Currents reaches out to international audience

When Google Currents debuted for tablets last December, it started out with a bang, presenting the first (and possibly only) serious competition for Flipboard.

Since then, the mobile news curation app hasn't grown much in terms of features and content, but that is all very well changing today.

Google product manager Mussie Shore explained on the Google Mobile blog that "after the U.S. launch, the top features readers requested were to make the app available internationally and to allow content to sync quickly."

Syncing content doesn't seem to have sped up much (of course, depending on your Internet connection too), but Google Currents developers have responded to the international interests.

Starting off with just the user base, Google Currents is expanding enormously on an international level now that the app will be available globally -- wherever apps are available on Google Play and the Apple App Store.

On a content basis, international publishers can add local content for an international audience, choosing where to make it available and whether or not to enable auto-translation. Using a new "globe" icon, Currents readers can automatically translate content into one of 38 supported languages.

Some of the publications already supporting various publishing editions with local content include The Guardian in the U.K., LaStampa in Italy, Financial Times Deutschland in Germany, ABC News in Australia, and The Hindustan Times in India have already started publishing editions with local content.

Users of the app can also add their favorite local blogs, which are instantly converted into Currents editions.

Screenshot via The Google Mobile Blog

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