8 Of The Best Apps To Help You Keep Up With Current Events In 2024
Every day, more news is being published than you could ever keep up with. Some estimate there are between two and three million articles published both on and off the web every twenty-four hours. One of the merits, or perils, of living in the modern world is that you do have a chance at keeping up with at least some of that. However, with a wide-open internet in front of you, you might not know where to begin if you want to keep up with current events.
Luckily, this is an issue that a lot of different people have thought up a solution to, and that solution can be found in the form of various apps. For just about any news you want to follow, there will be able to help you aggregate and read that news. With the amount of apps out there, there are naturally some that are better than others for keeping up with current events at any given time.
Whether it be through fantastic aggregation, or from user-generated discussion on current events, there are many ways to keep up with what's going on in the world using apps. The best apps offer different ways to stay up-to-date, but the result remains the same: you are more well-informed about having the app installed. Eight of these apps stand out as the best above the rest.
When looking to aggregate the aggregators, some stand out from the pack.
Flipboard is a classic of news aggregation, having been released for Android devices back on the Samsung Galaxy S III. Flipboard's standout curation allows for the app to serve content based on users' interests. Whether you're passionate about global politics, niche hobbies, or the latest advancements in technology, Flipboard delivers a tailored selection of articles, videos, and images from trusted sources worldwide. By simply indicating your preferences during setup or refining them as you go, Flipboard ensures that every scroll through your feed is informative and enjoyable.
In an era becoming increasingly grasped by TikTok attention spans, Flipboard aims to captivate with its visually appealing layout. Instead of overwhelming users with an endless stream of text, Flipboard presents news stories in a magazine-like format, complete with compelling images and concise headlines. This visual storytelling enhances the reading experience and makes it easier to digest information quickly, perfect for those moments when you only have a few minutes to catch up on the latest headlines.
Beyond algorithms, Flipboard harnesses the power of community curation to surface relevant content. Users can follow other Flipboard members whose interests align with theirs, discovering new perspectives and articles recommended by like-minded individuals. This social aspect adds a personal touch to the news consumption experience, for better or worse.
Flipboard also has great cross-platform accessibility. Whether you prefer to browse on your smartphone during a lunch break or unwind with your tablet in the evening, Flipboard seamlessly syncs your preferences across devices, allowing you to pick up right where you left off. Additionally, Flipboard offers a web version for those who prefer to catch up on the latest news from their desktop or laptop.
Flipboard can be downloaded from the iOS App Store or the Google Play Store.
Apple News
The iPhone comes with a plethora of apps loaded on by default from Apple. As tempting as it may be to quickly delete some of them and replace them with a third-party option, Apple News is worth a second glance. With a fantastic interface and compelling features, Apple News might be the best mobile news aggregator.
Apple News' greatest feature is its personalized news feed, tailored to each user's preferences and interests. Greater still, the app's feed can even be made to serve you local news. No matter your needs, Apple News ensures that you're always up to date on the topics that matter most to you.
For those craving more depth and variety in their news consumption, Apple News+ offers a premium subscription service that grants access to hundreds of magazines and newspapers. From renowned publications like The New York Times and National Geographic, Apple News+ provides unparalleled access to high-quality journalism, all within a single app.
Apple News can also help by keeping you informed with breaking news alerts delivered straight to your device. Whether it's a major geopolitical development or a significant scientific breakthrough, Apple News ensures that you're never caught off guard, allowing you to stay ahead of the curve and make informed decisions in real-time.
As part of the Apple ecosystem, Apple News seamlessly integrates with your other devices and services, ensuring a cohesive and streamlined user experience. Whether you're reading articles on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, your reading progress and preferences sync across devices, allowing you to pick up where you left off. The biggest drawback to Apple News is that, as part of the Apple ecosystem, it is not available on Android.
Apple News can be downloaded from the iOS App Store.
Google News
When it comes to any company's news app, none are probably more synonymous with aggregation than Google News. What makes Google News' aggregation unique is its AI-powered personalization engine, which aims to tailor each user's news feed in a much more in-depth way than can be offered by the competition. This AI-powered aggregation also serves, according to Google, to help elevate a more diverse range of content on the service.
For those seeking a deeper understanding of complex issues, Google News offers a unique "Full Coverage" feature. This feature allows users to quickly view one story from a variety of different sources and angles, helping to build a more complete picture of a situation.
Google News also bridges the gap between local and global events, ensuring that users are informed about developments both close to home and around the globe. Whether it's a breaking news story in your neighborhood or a major international event, Google News can help you stay up-to-date with all of it.
Just as Apple News slots greatly into the flow of users deeply integrated into the Apple ecosystem, Google News is a great option for users integrated into Google's ecosystem. However, Google News has the distinct advantage of still being usable on Apple Devices.
Google News can be downloaded from the iOS App Store or the Google Play Store.
X (formerly known as Twitter)
Whether you actually call it X, or you still just call it Twitter, there's no denying that the app is many people's preferred place to stay up to date with current events. X's real-time feed can be a great way to stay on the bleeding edge of developing stories.
Whether it's a major world event, a celebrity scandal, or a scientific breakthrough, X ensures that users are among the first to know with its instantaneous updates and trending topics. By providing a platform for journalists, experts, and eyewitnesses to share information directly, X serves as a primary source for several breaking news and developments as they happen.
Beyond just delivering headlines, X fosters a diverse ecosystem of voices and viewpoints, allowing users to engage with different perspectives on any topic. From journalists and politicians to activists and everyday citizens, X amplifies voices from all walks of life, facilitating discussions and debates that shape the narrative around current events.
One great example of the community of X serving to create a better news experience is Community Notes. Community Notes is a feature that allows certain users to fact-check posts, and other users then vote on each Note. Once a note has been deemed helpful, it will appear for every user on X.
Of course, as great as the community element of X is, it is something of a double-edged sword. The community of X can be very polarizing. Although Elon Musk claimed to have originally set out to deal with Twitter's bot problem, the bot issue on X appears to be worse than ever. So while the community makes X an enticing option, it may also drive you away.
X can be downloaded from the iOS App Store or the Google Play Store.
If you've heard of pocket, it's probably from using Mozilla Firefox for any decent amount of time. Mozilla's Pocket offers one of the simplest solutions to the problem of keeping up: save it for later. Through the course of a day, you likely scroll by several articles you can't read just yet, but you'll bookmark for later. Then, later never really comes.
With Pocket, you can simply put articles in your "Pocket," where they will be downloaded for convenient offline viewing with no loading times, and no pop-ups; just the article you want to read. With Pocket, all of the articles you're saving for later are consolidated into one easily accessed location, which makes coming back to your list much easier than combing through multiple apps.
In addition to saving content manually, Pocket offers personalized recommendations based on your reading habits and interests. Pocket can suggest similar content that aligns with your preferences, allowing you to discover new sources and topics that resonate with you.
Pocket's ability to sync saved articles for offline reading is also worth some extra attention. Whether you're on a plane without Wi-Fi, commuting through a tunnel with spotty reception, or falling victim to a massive AT&T outage, Pocket ensures that you can access your saved content anytime, anywhere. By downloading articles to your device for offline viewing, Pocket provides a seamless reading experience without interruptions.
Whether you're using a web browser, mobile app, or desktop client, Pocket syncs your saved items and reading progress, ensuring a consistent experience no matter where you are. Additionally, Pocket offers browser extensions and integrations with popular apps like X and Flipboard, allowing you to save articles directly from your favorite platforms.
Pocket can be downloaded from the iOS App Store or the Google Play Store.
If you like the idea of using X to curate a specific newsfeed drive-by user contribution, but you'd prefer something a little bit more easily curated, Reddit can be the perfect solution. Reddit has thousands of communities, known as subreddits, each dedicated to a specific topic, interest, or hobby.
Whether you want to keep up with news around technology, entertainment, or politics, Reddit offers a subreddit for virtually every niche interest imaginable. By subscribing to your favorite subreddits, you can curate a personalized feed of content that aligns with your interests, ensuring that you're always up to date on the topics that matter most to you.
One of Reddit's defining features is its ability to provide real-time updates and discussions on breaking news and current events. Through a combination of user-generated content and links to external news sources, fellow Reddit users can help to get you exactly what you need.
Reddit's upvoting and downvoting system allows users to curate the content they see in their feeds. Posts and comments that receive a high number of upvotes are more likely to be seen by other users, while those with a high number of downvotes are buried or hidden from view. This democratic approach to content curation can ensure that the most relevant and engaging posts rise to the top, providing users with a curated selection of high-quality content.
While Reddit's various communities can be helpful with keeping up on anything you may be interested in keeping up with, it is worth remembering that you are sectioning yourself off. If you wish to get the most out of Reddit as a news source, try bouncing between multiple communities.
Reddit can be downloaded from the iOS App Store or the Google Play Store.
Yahoo News
There's no need to do a doubletake, you are being recommended a Yahoo service in 2024. But, Yahoo News has much to offer, even if the search engine and email service have slowly gone the way of the dodo. Yahoo News offers users a wide range of news coverage, including breaking news, politics, business, entertainment, and more. What sets Yahoo News apart from other larger aggregate apps like Apple News and Google News is its original content
While Yahoo News does largely aggregate news from other reliable sources, there is also original reporting available on Yahoo News. In addition to written articles, Yahoo News provides video news coverage, allowing users to watch news stories and interviews with key figures. With its video news offerings, Yahoo News provides a more immersive news experience, bringing stories to life through visual storytelling.
Yahoo News also offers editorial features that provide in-depth analysis and commentary on current events. From opinion pieces to investigative reports, Yahoo News' editorial content offers valuable insights into the stories making headlines. With its team of experienced journalists and contributors, Yahoo News delivers thought-provoking content that goes beyond the headlines to provide context and understanding.
Of course, this comes in addition to a personalized news feed like you might find in any other service. Yahoo News is accessible across multiple platforms, including desktop, mobile, and tablet devices, and is easy to use on whichever device you prefer to access it from. While you may do a doubletake before committing, don't be afraid to try out Yahoo News as your source for current events in 2024.
Yahoo News can be downloaded from the iOS App Store or the Google Play Store.
inkl
Have you ever seen an article that sounds very intriguing, something you simply must read? Have you then ever clicked on it only to be met with a paywall? If so, you probably have thought about paying for access to your favorite publications, but what if you could pay for one subscription that gives you access to multiple outlets? This is where inkl shines as a service. While other apps allow you to do the same thing, none do it quite as nicely as inkl.
The app serves to curate from many places, with partnerships with renowned publications such as The Washington Post, The Guardian, and The Wall Street Journal, inkl offers users access to top-tier journalism covering a wide range of topics, including politics, business, technology, and more. Whether you're interested in breaking news or long-form investigative reporting, inkl provides a curated selection of articles that meet the highest journalistic standards.
Since inkl costs money upfront, you do get an ad-free reading experience, allowing you to immerse yourself in high-quality journalism without distractions and clickbait. With no advertisements to get in the way, inkl ensures that users can focus on the content, providing a more enjoyable and uninterrupted reading experience. Between catching up on the latest news and diving into a feature story, Inkl's ad-free environment allows you to engage with content, uninterrupted.
Although it can seem counterintuitive to pay for news when so much of it is available for free online, it is at least worth trying. Downloading inkl gives users a free 14-day trial to the service, before needing to subscribe for either $9.99 monthly or $99.99 yearly.
inkl can be downloaded from the iOS App Store or the Google Play Store.