SmartNews: Local Breaking News 17+

Fantastic Function and Fav App but iPhone Capacity Issues

I love the news I get; frequently from cities I didn’t even realize it was tracking for me! Far superior to anything else I’ve ever seen I might be getting addicted this; I spend more time than I think I ‘should’ reading really interesting stuff that’s relevant to me. It’s not a five because it seems to ‘consume’ my iPhone 7 (with max memory)! Here’s what I mean: 1) Frequent pauses/freezes that can last quite a while. Some correct themselves with time, others don’t seem to. 2) Frequently I can’t open iPhone Notes to store an article. It just freezes! This is almost to the point rarely try anymore. But my memory is so bad what’s the point of reading all of this if a can’t save a link to it for later? 3) I was informed by the iPhone that my battery is going bad. However, this App seems to consume tons of power. If I stop using it for a day my ‘power issues’ seem to disappear. If I need a newer/faster iPhone for this app just let me know. If that’s not the issue, any suggestions? Alex PS - I’d like to store direct links to some of the news - is there an easy way to do this? Another suggestion: when I’m done reading an article option to remove from list or retain for a while (I may wish to forward to a friend ...... when it’s daylight again - ha, perhaps I am addicted!

Developer Response ,

Hello,

Thanks for your feedback. Our support team can be reached via support@smartnews.com with information about your device including screenshots, screen recordings, URLs so that our team may investigate. Please be sure you have updated the app to the latest version. If you use a VPN, try disabling it or change server location.

- SmartNews

Used to be a five star

I’ve checked out many news packages but always preferred this one. Relevant news, good layout, easy to personalize, MODERATE ADVERTISING. There in lies our problem. More and more advertising. Now I understand why they need advertisers, everyone deserves a payday for their work. But while other apps are definitely worse, (every other story is an advertisement), plus they want to make you pay and subscribe to every news outlet, magazine or newspaper, et cetera. Now SmartNews is still better, but they keep coming up with sneaky ways to try and push you into clicking on their advertisers. What really annoys me is when you click out of a story back to the headlines….but it doesn’t take you there. An ad pops up and your forced to respond…. after several seconds so they can force feed you part of the ad, then you have to click a close button, or an X, or something else (“So you don’t want to save $$$?”), always different and in different places on the page so you are forced to read some of it because if you click the wrong spot it throws you out of everything to start over. And it’s becoming more frequent. The almighty dollar chase has ruined more than a few good companies.

Update: I’d like to add that this site just keeps getting worse. I’m looking for another news site. Now they have you tapping tapping tapping on adds waiting for an X to pop up so you can close it out. I don’t need the frustration. I’ll find another app. There are plenty of them.

Stop the Popups!

UPDATE: (I am late posting this, but) within hours of me writing about my issue with pop-ups, the developers actually responded, and within a day or two, the problem was 100% rectified! I love developers who actually take the time to read and respond to the concerns of their customers, so because of that, SmartNews will forever have a supporter in me!

I have been using Smart news several times a day, every day for years now, and I have enjoyed it for the most-part. However, as of January 1, 2021, I am now being greeted by a pop-up urging me to enable location services, which I have no desire to do. It is understandable that the app would request permission for such a feature, but it is requesting permission after EVERY•SINGLE•STORY read! It is beyond annoying and feels like harassment! If this problem isn’t rectified within a week, I will be uninstalling this app. Your readers should be given a choice of which features to enable, and not be harassed when they don’t choose in accordance with YOUR preferences. Update: I am updating my review to reflect a 4-star rating, because I am no longer being bombarded with popups. For everyone who’s whining about the app being too “left-leaning”, perhaps you should search for a Breitbart app, or some other tabloidesque news affiliate...and this is coming from an Independent.

Developer Response ,

Thanks for your feedback. We are currently working to address this issue and appreciate your patience.

-SmartNews