Report updated Mar 31, 2026
ABC13 Houston
v8.84.0Houston-area residents and individuals interested in local Texas news, weather, and community-focused investigative reporting.
What Is ABC13 Houston?
Launched Dec 22, 2010
Updated Mar 2026
What users think iIndependent intel reports to help builders create better apps or enhance existing ones. Still in beta, accuracy and relevancy get better every day. For informational purposes only.
What does it look like?
What are the key features?
Continuous live broadcast of news and original content accessible directly from the home screen
A personalized news feed curated based on user-selected topics and locations
Allows users to continue watching live streams or video clips while navigating other apps
Real-time push notifications for weather conditions and traffic incidents based on user location
Visual weather tracking with detailed conditions and 7-day forecasts
Categorized content discovery including 13 Investigates, Texas True Crime, and Localish
What do users think? iIndependent intel reports to help builders create better apps or enhance existing ones. Still in beta, accuracy and relevancy get better every day. For informational purposes only.
“Recent user voice shows a mixed sentiment. Users appreciate content quality and utility and convenience, but report playback and stability issues and device/feature compatibility.”
What Users Love
Awesome Application For Watching Live Weather, News, Sports
ENJOYABLE LOCAL INFORMATIVE NEWS SOURCE I LOVE IT
It is very convenient to have ABC News App in my daily life
Great to get news and weather even when the power goes out.
Pain Points
the app cuts in and out
kicks me out about 40-60 seconds in
screen times out when watching video. app doesn't keep screen on
The latest update has the news unwatchable for me on Chromecast
High confidence · 50 reviews available
What are the pros and cons?
Pros
- Strong brand equity via the ABC/Disney network
- High volume of localized, exclusive content
- Effective personalization engine through 'My News'
Cons
- Persistent technical instability and video playback crashes
- Poor handling of background processes (screen-awake issues)
- Recent updates have introduced regressions
What is the market outlook?
Growth Opportunities
- Fixing core stability issues to capture market share
- Expanding audio-only news briefings for commuters
- Improving integration with smart home devices
Market Threats
- Aggregators and social media platforms capturing breaking news traffic
- User migration to more stable, third-party weather-specific apps
- Negative app store reviews damaging brand reputation
What are the key takeaways?
ABC13 Houston is a divisive news & magazines app that is completely free. With a 4.6/5 rating from 67.1K reviews, it receives mixed feedback from users. Users particularly appreciate content quality, though playback and stability issues remains a common concern.
Best for: Houston-area residents and individuals interested in local Texas news, weather, and community-focused investigative reporting.
How much does it cost?
Model: free
The app is free to use and monetized primarily through advertising, including targeted ads and sponsored content.
iOS Version
8.84.0
Android Version
VARY
Release Date
Dec 22, 2010
iOS Price
Free
Android Price
Free
Developer
Disney