Some Publishers Concerned About Apple News+ Intercepting Traffic From Websites in iOS 14

Apple did not inform three large publishers about a change in iOS 14 and macOS Big Sur that directs users who tap on an Apple News+ story in Safari to the ‌Apple News‌ app instead of the publisher's website, according to Ad Age. The report claims that two of the publishers are evaluating whether to terminate their relationship with Apple News+ as a result of the change, but for now are taking a "wait-and-see approach."

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From the report:

Two of the executives at the publishers told Ad Age they receive decent traffic through their deal with Apple, but are now questioning how it will impact their bottom line, as they each have greater monetization opportunities through their owned properties.

In a statement shared with The Verge's Dieter Bohn earlier this week, Apple said that the change provides publishers with "increased engagement and revenue opportunities on Apple News," adding that users have the option to adjust their preference. On iOS 14, the toggle switch can be found in Settings > News > Open Web Links in News. On macOS Big Sur, open the Apple News app and click on News > Preferences… in the menu bar.

Apple is committed to creating the best experience for Apple News+ subscribers. This change offers subscribers seamless access to the content that is part of their News+ subscription right in the News app or publisher app, as well as providing publishers with increased engagement and revenue opportunities on Apple News. News+ subscribers can set their link preference in their News settings.

Publisher reception to Apple News has been mixed. In June, The New York Times pulled out of Apple News, noting that the service does not "align with its strategy of building direct relationships with paying readers." To the contrary, The Wall Street Journal this week said that its Apple News‌ partnership provides the publication with a "significantly new audience," including more women and young people.

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Top Rated Comments

Expos of 1969 Avatar
60 months ago
Apple doing something and not informing those who have a vested interest? It can't be! :eek:
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kc9hzn Avatar
60 months ago

Apple needs to change this before public release. Lots of news websites depend on ad revenue from website traffic to survive.
That’s more the news sites’ problem than mine. I don’t use Apple News, but I use ad and tracking blocker apps. If I used Apple News and they let me read the articles in the News app, they’d actually get money from me. If they force me to visit their ad and tracker laden websites, with their unrelated overlay videos and distracting in-bound link units, I’m sorry, I’m going to use an ad blocker just to make your site usable. Offer a product good enough to get me to pay, then we’ll talk. I’m not opposed to paying for news, I’m just opposed to paying for low quality news or to dealing with ads on a site I pay to access.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannyyankou Avatar
60 months ago
Apple needs to change this before public release. Lots of news websites depend on ad revenue from website traffic to survive.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DotCom2 Avatar
60 months ago
JEEEEZ. Everyday lately I read about Apple being a bully about something. Just stop it Apple.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ArtOfWarfare Avatar
60 months ago
I'm really irritated whenever I type in a search in Safari, it offers a result to a news article, and when I tap it, it opens in Apple News instead of the actual website with that article. Will this toggle fix that?

Is there a way to get the "go to website" button back in Apple News? Apple News is nice when it works, but it's not uncommon for special graphics or interactive charts to just vanish in Apple News, thus you need to go visit the proper website to use it. This is like being forced to use Reader Mode all the time in Safari - it's nice when it works, but sometimes it doesn't and you need to be able to turn it off.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PTLove Avatar
60 months ago

So Apple is acting as a news aggregator as Google does, not forwarding traffic to the original site and therefore do not creating hits for them, and they are wrong?


Context: https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/google-makes-billions-from-news-without-paying-publishers-study-2051255
No, this is quite different. Google gives synopsis of articles, however links to the original article on the original website. Apple is straight up by default not linking to those websites.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)