| Core Identity |
| Developer | Nexstar Broadcasting | Disney | SmartNews, Inc. | Particle Media Inc. | Charter Communications | NEWS 12 INTERACTIVE, INC. | Google | Weather Group, LLC | Patch Media | sp0n, Inc. |
| Category | News | News | News | News | News | News | News | News | News | News |
| Platform | Android, iOS | iOS, Android | Android, iOS | iOS, Android | iOS, Android | Android, iOS | iOS, Android | iOS, Android | iOS, Android | iOS, Android |
| Store Metrics |
| Rating | 4.1 / 5 | 4.8 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 | 4.8 / 5 | 4.7 / 5 | 4.8 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 | 4.7 / 5 | 4.7 / 5 |
| Ratings Count | 159 | 49,097 | 919,471 | 1,353,959 | 48,669 | 66,038 | 226,320 | 1,347 | 25,398 | 497,522 |
| Price | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Release Date | Dec 2, 2019 | Dec 2, 2010 | Oct 1, 2014 | Jul 15, 2016 | Dec 9, 2013 | Jul 2, 2011 | Dec 8, 2011 | Jun 9, 2016 | Apr 14, 2011 | Feb 24, 2016 |
| Last Updated | Apr 22, 2026 | May 18, 2026 | Apr 27, 2026 | Apr 30, 2026 | Mar 26, 2026 | Feb 11, 2026 | Apr 24, 2026 | Feb 10, 2026 | Nov 26, 2025 | Apr 16, 2026 |
| Sentiment & Reviews |
| Sentiment | mixed | terrible | negative | negative | - | - | mixed | negative | - | negative |
| Score | 35/100 | 25/100 | 35/100 | 35/100 | - | - | 55/100 | 25/100 | - | 22/100 |
| Praises | - The core information feed provides a reliable and efficient source for real-time news updates
- The algorithmic feed delivers engaging and humorous content that maintains user interest during sessions
| - Local news coverage provides reliable and educational information for long-term daily viewers
| - Diverse news coverage across multiple topics keeps information junkies engaged daily
| - Comprehensive news coverage across local and national headlines keeps users informed on daily events
| - | - | - Aggregated news coverage from diverse global sources provides a comprehensive daily information overview
| - Free access to a broad variety of local and national news networks
| - | - Real-time Safety Awareness
|
| Complaints | - Frequent application crashes during launch and core interactions disrupt the daily usage habit
- Opaque account suspension and appeal processes leave users without recourse or clear explanations
- Aggressive monetization and restricted access to features frustrate long-term premium subscribers
| - Persistent app crashes and loading failures prevent access to live news streams
| - Intrusive full-screen ads and pop-ups disrupt the reading experience post-update
| - Aggressive monetization and pay-to-read barriers frustrate users attempting to access standard news content
| - | - | - Excessive advertisement placement and paywall frequency disrupt the reading experience for active users
| - Frequent app crashes and freezing during playback disrupt the viewing experience
- Navigation errors cause the interface to jump unexpectedly between categories
| - | - Aggressive Monetization
- Technical Regressions
|
| Requests | - Users request more transparency regarding changes and bug fixes in the update logs
| - Cast-to-TV functionality requested to improve viewing experience on larger home displays
| - Subscription option to remove ads and restore a distraction-free reading environment
| - Improved filtering and blocking controls to remove unwanted publishers and topics from the feed
| - | - | - Granular control over feed sources and content blocking to improve relevance
| - Cast and AirPlay functionality to stream content from mobile to television
| - | - |
| Strategic Intel |
| Strengths | - Distinct 'New York's Very Own' brand voice sustains local editorial differentiation
- Simplified navigation structure avoids the bloat found in larger network-affiliated apps
| - 7 On Your Side advocacy builds high switching costs through community trust
- Exclusive local broadcast content provides a content moat against third-party aggregators
| - Premium publisher partnerships sustain high-quality content feed
- AI-summarized article feature reduces user time-to-value
- Local news curation creates regional content relevance
| - Zip-code-mapped content delivery sustains daily utility
- 10,000-source aggregation provides comprehensive coverage
| - | - | - Full Coverage mechanism creates a unique information-synthesis moat against standard RSS-style aggregators
- Interest-graph algorithm sustains high DAU/MAU ratios via personalized daily briefings
| - 400+ channel library functions as a high-retention content moat against niche news apps
| - | - Live multi-angle video broadcasting
- 24/7 professional Safety Agent monitoring
- High-density user network in major urban centers
|
| Weaknesses | - Frequent launch-time crashes disrupt daily usage
- Opaque account moderation processes drive user frustration
- Lack of global CDN infrastructure causes live-streaming latency
| - Persistent app crashes post-update drive high churn rates
- High ad-to-content ratio disrupts the daily viewing habit
| - Intrusive ad frequency triggers high-volume negative reviews
- 0.89-star Android-iOS rating gap indicates platform-specific instability
- Gamification rewards program distracts from core news utility
| - 0.16★ Android-iOS rating gap indicates platform-specific usability issues
- Aggressive pay-to-read gates drive high churn
| - | - | - Excessive ad-load disrupts reading flow for 209 analyzed users
- Performance regressions in latest builds cause interface jitter and loading errors
| - High-frequency playback crashes reported in reviews
- Missing screen reader support for visually impaired users
| - | - Aggressive paywalling of public safety data
- Technical regressions in map navigation (Android)
- Unmoderated toxic community comments
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| Pricing | free | free | freemium | free | freemium | free | free | free | free | freemium |
| Momentum | Maintenance | Active | Intense | Active | Intense | Active | Active | Intense | Steady | Maintenance |
| Update Cadence | 5 versions, ~25d avg | 5 versions, ~16d avg | 5 versions, ~6d avg | 5 versions, ~5d avg | 5 versions | 5 versions | 5 versions, ~18d avg | 5 versions | 5 versions | 4 versions, ~10d avg |
