This year, the Apple News app has really stepped up its game. Not only is the interface better now, but it looks great to the eye. However, as a journalism major, it’s all about how the news is presented, and that is where this app shines. And by “shines,” I mean it shines like a refulgent sunset.
For starters, I like how when every time I open the app it shows the temperature outside. This is useful for when I view the app in the morning to check on the headlines of the day, and I can quickly see that temperature.
When viewing Apple News on the iPad, especially in the morning, it feels like you’re reading a newspaper that is constantly being updated. And that is one of the main reasons why the newspaper industry is failing right now; Lack of the newest of new stories and content. As for using it on the iPhone, it’s great. The text on the screen is bold and magnificent, it’s just like reading on a Kindle or using iBooks. Best of all, it’s easy to customize the text size.
My favorite part about the app is the availability of news sources. It’s amazing to be able to read sites like 9to5Mac, CNET, and The Verge all in just one app. Even my hometown’s newspaper is on it! It should also be noted that when you add a news source to one device, it also goes to the other seamlessly. It’s perfect.
Lastly, more recently, the app has enabled notifications from specific news sources. The one that I have comes across recently is CNET. CNET now allows for notifications from them to keep up with the latest headlines from them. It does not work on all articles, but it does work for the primary ones, such as the one recently about Amazon Go.
All in all, this app is absolutely fantastic for people who love to stay up to date with the headlines. If you’re not a fan of social media and prefer to have a one-stop place for all of your newsworthy stories. I’m going to give it 3.5/4 stars total for its great functionality and simple user interface.
