Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. Reviews

Grab some coffee and find a recliner, Apple News makes reading pleasant again

Malarie Gokey
By

Flipping through a magazine’s glossy pages, high-quality photos, and in-depth articles used to be a pleasure. Now, the magazine is dying, and in its place, we have the Internet, dozens of dedicated apps, and digital subscriptions. It’s a sprawling, messy affair that lacks charm and seems thoughtless. News curation apps like NYT Now, Flipboard, Wildcard, Timeline, BriefMe, and others have all tried to improve the way we read news on mobile devices, but only Flipboard has had much success. Apple’s News app takes another attempt at polishing up online journalism, and while it may not be revolutionary, it is lovely and a joy to use.

It’s been called Apple’s version of Flipboard, and Flipboard’s CEO isn’t happy about the comparison. Indeed, Apple News is different from Flipboard, though it does draw quite a bit of inspiration from the well-loved news reader. In some ways, Apple News is better — more organized, more cohesive, and even more attractive.

Attractive magazine-style news feeds

When you first set up Apple News, the app polls you on the publications and topics you like to read about. So if you like food, you’ll get a curated feed of content from sources like Epicurious and Grub Street. You can also select publications like CNN, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and others, including Digital Trends. The bigger the publication, the more likely it is that the layout will be optimized for Apple News. The ability to choose either topics or specific sites is nice, and similar to Flipboard. Apple News will also suggest publications and topics as it learns what you like.

There’s also a cool Explore tab, where you can find new suggestions anytime you get bored with what you’ve already got. The search tab will also bring up results quickly, and sort them into Top Hits, Topics, and Channels.

Related

Apple’s partnered with a number of big-name publications to optimize their content for the News app, and those feeds look stunning. Other feeds from publications who haven’t worked with Apple look more generic, but they all match the Apple News look, which makes for a more cohesive and attractive news reading experience. Sometimes on Flipboard, you’ll see odd formatting, or a site will blast you with ads out of nowhere. That doesn’t happen with Apple News. It’s a more peaceful experience, whether you’re reading news from the New York Times or some weird blog.

The News app is one of the nicest apps Apple’s made in a while.

Speaking of the New York Times, it has one of the loveliest designs you’ll find on Apple News. When you open it, you’re greeting with a large picture and a link to a briefing on the most important news items. After that, you see a list of articles to choose from. If there are pictures, they’ll feature prominently at the top of the page, and you can swipe through them in a gallery without clicking on any special link. It’s flawless.

Other news outlets don’t look as polished, but in time, every single publication could look as attractive on Apple News as the New York Times. It’s just a matter of hammering out partnerships. There’s a lot of potential here, and the rest of the interface is a slick and simple.

Offline reading and social sharing

At the bottom of every article, you’ll see three buttons: the share option, favorite heart, and the bookmark. If you tap on the sharing button, you’ll see Apple’s typical sharing menu pop up with the option to AirDrop the article to someone, send it in a message, email, add to your Reminders or Notes apps, Twitter, Facebook, and more. You can, of course, copy the link, too or open it in Safari. Overall, it’s pretty easy to share articles from the News app.

Meanwhile, the bookmark button saves articles for reading offline. It’s an awesome feature that’s really useful if you have a long commute and want to get some reading done on the Wi-Fi-less train or plane. All the bookmarked articles are conveniently located in the Bookmarks section of the News app for easy access whenever you want them.

As a New Yorker whose commute typically involves irritably cursing the MTA’s spotty cell service reception as the subway passes through the many stations on the way to Queens, easy access to offline articles is a blessing. I imagine it’ll also be quite nice for long plane rides and days when my data allowance is running low.

Final thoughts

The News app is one of the nicest apps Apple’s made in a while. Other recent additions like Apple Music seem much messier in comparison, and the News app is the perfect blend of simple and sophisticated. Although it takes a lot of inspiration from Flipboard, Apple News has a nice clean look that many will find appealing, and it seems to cut out interference from ads better than Flipboard does.

It’s a welcome addition to iOS 9, and if you like to keep up on the news, it’ll be one of the few preinstalled apps you don’t thrown into the “Apple Junk” folder we all have on our phones.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Malarie Gokey
Malarie Gokey
Former Digital Trends Contributor
As DT's Mobile Editor, Malarie runs the Mobile and Wearables sections, which cover smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and…
Best Verizon new customer deals: Galaxy S24, iPhone and more
Verizon logo on a smartphone screen in a dark room and a finger touching it.

If you’re in the market for one of the best phones, or any new phone for that matter, you’re going to need a good carrier. Verizon has long been one of the most popular options, as it boasts one of the most reliable networks in the United States. It offers some of the best cell phone plans out there, and for new customers Verizon also offers some pretty impressive discounts on new phones. In many cases this means you can brand new, recently released phones entirely for free when signing up with Verizon. And that’s the case right now, as we’re currently seeing some of the best Verizon new customer deals we’ve seen. You can pretty easily land a new iPhone, Samsung Galaxy phone, and Google Pixel for free, and we’ve got all of the details on how to do so. If that sounds enticing, read onward and start shopping the best Verizon new customer deals available right now.
Free iPhone SE (3rd Gen)

The 2022 release of the Apple iPhone SE is yours for free when you sign up for a new 5G data plan on Verizon -- no trade-ins required. It's the best small smartphone in our list of the best smartphones with a 4.7-inch Liquid Retina display, but it doesn't sacrifice performance as it's powered by Apple's A15 Bionic chip that's also found in the iPhone 13 line and pre-installed with iOS 15. The latest iPhone SE is equipped with a single 12MP rear sensor and 7MP selfie camera, which are boosted by Apple's software to enable better photographs.

Read more
AirTags range: here’s how far the tracker can reach
An AirTag attached on a keyring

Apple AirTags are a helpful tool for tracking valuable possessions like wallets, keys, luggage, and backpacks. These tags employ various technologies that allow you to track your items from short and long distances using your compatible Apple device, such as an iPhone 15 Plus. You might wonder how far you can track your items with AirTags. It's time to find out.
AirTags range, explained

The range of AirTags varies depending on the method you use to locate them. A Bluetooth connection will work when your AirTags are close to your supported Apple device. Otherwise, Apple's Find My network is utilized. Luckily, you don't have to choose the method because it's selected behind the scenes automatically.

Read more
The best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 deals
A person holding a partially open Galaxy Z Fold 4.

While the more recent release of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 has turned attention away from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, the Z Fold 4 is still an incredibly capable smartphone. Newer tech releases often make previous generations much more affordable, and that’s certainly the case with the Z Fold 4. While much of what’s available out there are refurbished models, there’s some huge savings to be had on a Z Fold 4. Retailers like Amazon and Back Market offer great ways to save, and we’ve got all of the information you need to do so. Reading onward you’ll find links to the best Samsung Z Fold 4 deals you can shop right now, as well as a little information on what each retailer has to offer with a purchase.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 deals at Best Buy
The Unlocked 512GB model of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is on clearance at Best Buy. The popular retailer is really showing up with this deal, which sees the Z Fold 4 marked down to $700 and makes for nearly $1,300 in savings. Even more savings are available if you have an eligible device trade-in.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 deals at Amazon
Amazon may currently have the widest variety of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 deals. You’ll find both the 256GB and 512GB models discounted there, as though much of what's available are renewed models. Don't hold back because it's renewed, though, as Amazon has a great return policy should you receive something that doesn't live up to its condition. You can save even more when purchasing a Galaxy Z Fold 4 at Amazon if you have an eligible device to trade-in.

Read more