Did we need a new Helvetica? No. Did we want a new Helvetica? Kind of…

The Monotype Type Foundry has released and updated version of Helvetica, called Helvetica now. At a glance it looks like Helvetica, but there have been a bunch of updates and additions, attempting to modernise the font for the current digital age.

Helvetica® Now is a new chapter in the story of perhaps the best-known typeface of all time. Available in three optical sizes—Micro, Text, and Display.

I haven’t been using Helvetica as a workhorse since my screen printing days about a decade ago. a few years ago, I came across Neue Haas Unica (also by Monotype), which I thought was a more interesting sans serif that had a bunch of weights and uses, and pretty much stuck with it for my everyday. Im tempted to get Helvetica Now, but I dont think I really need it.

The Verge has a pretty in depth behind the scenes interview about Helvetica Now.

Source: Helvetica® Now