apple NewsSource: iMore

What you need to know

  • Apple News+ got a big upgrade with iOS 14.
  • Previously, clicking on a link to an included outlet launched Safari, and usually a paywall.
  • An iOS 14 setting now lets you open the links inside the News app.

iOS 14 appears to have fixed one of Apple News+'s biggest flaws, with a new 'Open Web Links in News' setting.

According to 9to5Mac:

A new feature in iOS 14 makes it easier for people to take full advantage of their News+ subscription.

Let's assume you have a News+ subscription and encounter a link to a WSJ story. On iOS 13 and earlier, tapping on the link would launch Safari and open the article on their website, but it would show a paywall and you wouldn't be able to read the story. This is because the News+ subscription does not include standard web login access. To read the story, you'd have to press the Share button, then use the Open in News action.

iOS 14 has made this even simpler. There is now a new setting called 'Open Web Links in News'. With that enabled, the system will automatically detect links to stories that are included in your News+ subscription.

Previously, clicking a link to a news article included in your subscription to News+ didn't open the News app, but rather Safari. Now, when you click on a link it will open the News app, and the story, rather than Safari and a paywall.

Recent reports have also suggested that Apple plans to incorporate a new News+ Audio feature to the service, letting people listen to stories like podcasts, rather than reading them.

Previously, it has been suggested that Apple News+ has struggled to attract subscribers to the service.