10 Excellent Apps News Junkies Must Download Today

There are millions of apps in app stores – from business apps to travel apps, from health & fitness apps to educational apps. The increase in demand for various apps has led to the phenomenal increase in a total number of apps in app stores. According to Apple, there were 1.4 million apps available for download in Apple App Store in the beginning of 2015. Similarly, another giant app store – Google Play Store has around 2 million apps today.


Just like various categories, there are hundreds of apps for news and current affairs section as well. But from this huge list, which news apps are worth downloading?

Here I’ve broken it down and found some of the top news apps that will help you keep track of the current happenings in the world.

So, for all news geeks, here goes the app-list:

Google News & Weather

The technology giant is mainly popular among people for its search engine, but it also offers various other amazing services – one of the best being sharing latest news stories from multiple publishers’ right at your fingertips with its ‘Google News & Weather’ app.

This year Google updated this app with AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) integration which gives instant load-reload experience to app users. The latest version provides a new Google Now style layout with which app users can swipe between different news categories swiftly.

The main menu in the app contains an optional weather widget which can be customized to show the weather based on your current location or for a specific location set manually in settings.

Launched: August 2014

Available for: Android & iOS

Size: 4.8 MB (Android) and 13.9 MB (iOS)

Price: Free

BBC News

Let stats do the talking about the popularity of this app – it has been downloaded over 40 million times!

The reason behind its popularity is plain and simple – it allows app users to read the best journalism from trusted global BBC correspondents by offering amazing user-experience. Moreover, integration with social networks takes this app few notches more higher in its popularity; this feature lets an app user share stories with their social networks or email/SMS it to a friend.

Launched: July 2010

Available for: Android, iOS & BlackBerry

Size: Varies with device (Android), 18.2 MB (iOS), 12 KB (BlackBerry)

Price: Free

CNN

Here’s a smarter, sleeker way to grab the wealth of hot news from across the globe!

If you are a fan of video news, this is the app you need to install on your smartphone. It lets app users watch live CNN TV shows and events. Apart from coverage of video news, one of the best features of this app is – ‘iReport’ which allows regular citizens to submit photos and videos of breaking news stories.

The latest redesigned version of CNN app looks great and operates smoothly.

Launched: June 2009

Available for: Android, iOS, & Windows

Size: Varies with device (Android), 55.6 MB (iOS)

Price: Free

The Guardian

The stunning landing page of this application showcases latest stories on current events, sports, technology, and politics. It offers flexible layout which allows users to save articles for offline reading, create notifications for specific stories or writers and read & share comments. Just like CNN app, this news app provides citizen journalism option with a feature called ‘GuardianWitness’.

Launched: December 2009

Available for: Android & iOS

Size: 14 MB (Android), 51.4 MB (iOS)

Price: Free

Users can upgrade to the premium version (£2.49) of this app to get access to crossword puzzles, special content, and an ad-free experience.

Flipboard

The look and feel of the app give you a feeling as if you are turning the page of a magazine, thus the name!

This digital magazine is one of the most prolific news aggregators among all the news apps in app stores. The best thing about this app is you don’t have to be an expert in any sense to use it - just sign in, choose your favorite topics and it’s done. However, if you need to have an in-depth view about any topic, you can create your own magazine, follow any users and customize your feed. The interface is the biggest plus point of this app.

Launched: July 2010

Available for: Android, iOS & Windows

Size: Varies with device (Android), 38.3 MB (iOS)

Price: Free

News 360

News360 is a strikingly smart app that analyzes app users likes, searches and activity on their personal social channels to create a unique ‘Interest Graph’ for each user and then provides them with a personalized experience by formatting their feed around the related news stories.

On the landing page of this app, the first thing that you will see is the top stories of the day. This app is gorgeous to look at and offers easy intuitive design for its users.

Launched: July 2010

Available for: Android, iOS & Windows

Size: Varies with device (Android), 28 MB (iOS)

Price: Free

News Republic

The News Republic is really impressive news app. It is quite different from all others listed here. It allows users to create their own profile, shares news with their friends, know how friends react to a particular news story and get recommendations from the experts in the community about a particular topic. The app also offers smart recommendations based on your previous reading and preferences.

It is one of the most beautiful apps on our list. It showcases news stories in a fashion that are tailored specifically for mobile consumption.

Launched: July 2010

Available for: Android & iOS

Size: Varies with device (Android), 49.6 MB (iOS)

Price: Free

Bloomberg

If you want a quick overview of today’s financial headlines, this is your go-to app.

Bloomberg has been ruling the app market space in the financial news sector since its launch. It is been trusted by millions of financial enthusiasts every day for checking stock updates and market data in real-time. It is revered for its clean design and seamless integration.

However, the biggest value that sets Bloomberg apart from all other financial apps in app stores is: it allows app users to compare similar stocks over a specific time period.

Launched: July 2008

Available for: Android, iOS, Windows & BlackBerry

Size: 18 M (Android), 52 MB (iOS), 7 MB (BlackBerry)

Price: Free

Feedly

Feedly is another digital news aggregator app that allows users to choose news sources and create their own personal news feed. The app has a built-in feature which allows users to create various categories for news so that readers can manage multiple feeds at once.

The app is lightning-quick and offers a clean visual format for reading to app users. This mobile application offers minimalistic interface making it user-friendly. It is currently one of the best RSS-reader apps available in the app market today.

Launched: October 2010

Available for: Android & iOS

Size: 20 M (Android), 22 MB (iOS)

Price: Free

Podcast And Radio Addict

The app that lets you keep track of current affairs without requiring you to put on your reading glasses!

It is the best all-in-one news app in Android. This app allows users to enjoy live radio shows, listen to audio books and download & listen to podcasts. It offers advanced custom settings for each podcast.

Podcast and Radio Addict offers the well-presented layout that is easy to navigate. This is an excellent option if you’re looking for an audio platform instead of just a news reader app.

Launched: July 2010

Available for: Android

Size: 30 MB (Android)

Price: Free

Users can upgrade the app by paying $2.99 for premium features which include an ad-free experience.

Your Pick?

Are you passionate about news?

US elections or Olympics: Are you keeping track of the latest happenings in the world?

Which app from the above list would you highly recommend to news junkies? Share with us your personal favorite in the comment section below.

Happy reading!

Kim Smith is a Content Consultant at GoodFirms, a full-fledged research firm in USA. She's been journeying through the world of content marketing for more than 4 years. Her experience spans in areas like mobile apps, start-ups and social media. Online you can find her on twitter