Folks may want to know if Apple News+ is still worth it in 2024, and I think there are several things to review before giving a definite answer. For those who don’t know, Apple offers a premium version of its News app, known as Apple News+. It provides a substantial number of features over the free version. Knowing what’s in this service is crucial before shelling out for a subscription—let’s take a look at the positives and negatives.
What Is Apple News+?
Essentially, Apple News+ is the subscription version of the News app within the Apple ecosystem, including iPhone, Mac, iPad, Watch, HomePod, and CarPlay. With a subscription, you not only get access to local news, Apple News Today and a curation of personalized top news stories, but you get additional benefits as well.
March 2019 saw the release of Apple News+ in the U.S. and Canada, and it has expanded to Australia and the U.K. as well. At the time of its release, Apple announced that over 300 different publishers were on board for the news-aggregation service, and that number has now expanded to over 400 publications. Covering a range of topics from news & politics, to hobbies, cars, food, and lifestyle. iOS 17 also saw the release of daily crossword puzzles for users to enjoy.
Apple News+ also includes a large selection of magazines you can read cover-to-cover, as well as extensive sports news, including access to local coverage. A News+ subscription also increases features within the audio section of the app, giving users access to audio news stories. Those who subscribe get all of this and more for $12.99 a month. Of course, like other Apple services, you can bundle News+ within an Apple One plan.
Why Apple News+ Could Be Worth It
If you need a constant stream of information, going with a subscription to Apple News+ seems like an outright win. With an increasing number of news websites moving to a subscription service, having access to a variety of news outlets can already feel like a bargain. Considering you gain access to publications like TIME, WIRED, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, and more, news hounds should already begin to feel enticed.
This doesn’t even cover the fact that you’re able to share News+ with up to five family members, as well as play daily crossword puzzles and read articles offline. Personally, I think access to local news is also particularly useful as it helps create a more personalized feel within your feed while delivering vital beats. It’s also great that the app becomes more personalized as I use it—curating articles specifically for me the more I read.
Naturally, all of this is included in the News app on your iPhone, allowing everything to be stored in one location. However, this has some faults as well, which I will discuss below. Of course, Apple News+ will also send you notifications, although you can turn these off or customize them via Settings > News > Notifications. The news app also includes widgets as well, making it incredibly easy to access your news and top headlines directly from your Home screen.
Why Apple News+ Might Not Be Worth It
Right off the bat, I think a major drawback to Apple News+ is that some folks simply don’t trust modern media these days. Obviously, I have no intent of stirring a debate right now, but the fact of the matter is that a lot of people would rather trust social media over a typical news organization. Folks who prefer social media over traditional media simply aren’t going to get a lot from this app.
The app itself can often suffer from information overload. There are over 400 magazines and newspapers to read, and it can often be jarring trying to find specific information or news sources, although there is a search feature available.
Since Apple News+ is consolidated into the standard News app, paying for a subscription can feel like you just unlocked something rather than subscribed to a service. Going back to my comments on the news feed earlier, while I enjoyed it, some may want their feed to be a bit more robust.
Another issue is that ads are still prevalent even when purchasing a subscription. While Apple never promised ad-free reading after a subscription, it can be irksome nonetheless.
The Final Word: Should You Get Apple News+?
I would say it’s worth considering depending on how much you like news. For what it’s worth, Apple News+ is one of the few Apple services that you can try for free for a month rather easily. Of course, the service also has the typical free three-month offer that most Apple services provide when you purchase a new device.
Overall, I’d encourage anyone with a slight interest in News+ to give it a shot; you really don’t have anything to lose. Remember that canceling a subscription is pretty easy. Let’s also not forget that it comes with the Apple One plan, so it can be pretty cheap when you bundle it alongside other Apple services.
However, let’s answer the real question: should you pay for News+? If you asked me outright, I would say no. To be fair, I’m not really someone Apple has in mind for this service. I don’t mind finding a different source if an article is paywalled, or I know I can go to social media to find more answers for a specific headline. I also don’t care about sports (sorry), so anything involving it really isn’t going to hold my interest.
If you want to get a collection of news stories from a variety of sources, or you’re simply tired of paying for multiple newspapers, then yes, I think you should highly consider Apple News+. While some may find the information disorganized, I personally think it would be more beneficial than subscribing to a single website. But like I said, since there is a free month-long trial, I’d encourage people to try Apple News+ for themselves.
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Not worth it on any level. Most of the publications you cite in your article are owned by Private Equity and the names are brands for endless clickbait.
I spent 40 years in the industry. This product is almost worse than the phony mastheads it promulgates.
spend your money on local news.