No more news: News widget on the iPhone suddenly gone – or empty

iPhone users have been reporting a problem with the popular news widget for a few days now. Instead of the latest news, no more content appears there - not even from heise online. Anyone who had not previously installed the widget can no longer access it: A search in the configuration dialog for new widgets remains unsuccessful. The problem seems to have occurred since iOS 17.4.1 at the latest, but it is also conceivable that Apple has made server-side changes that led to the disappearance. On the Mac (tested under macOS 14.4.1), either the headlines no longer appear or the widget can no longer be installed.

News widget actually part of the News app

The only alternative is to use a widget from a third-party provider - such as those offered by the media themselves. There is also a Google News widget. There is speculation that Apple is planning innovations to its widgets as part of iOS 18, which is due to be unveiled in June. However, it will only be released as a beta and the final version is not expected before September. Media that have concluded agreements with Apple for publication in the News widget were not contacted by Apple initially. It could therefore also be a bug.

However, the background to the provision of the news widget is complex. It is actually part of the Apple News app, which is still not available in the EU. It only appears if you switch the iPhone to the USA region. Otherwise, it is also officially approved in the UK, Australia and Canada - where it is also available in French, otherwise in English. Apple News also includes the subscription service News+, which is also not available in Europe. Despite the lack of a News app, the News widget was also available in Germany and then linked directly to the browser. It is said to have generated good traffic for media.

In place since iOS 10, but neglected

Apple introduced the widget in 2016 - together with the News app. Initially, there was criticism of the poorly curated content selection. A launch of News+ failed in this country, with the media apparently finding Apple's unattractive. In the USA, users can access a wide range of media content, including paid content from newspapers and magazines, for 12.99 US dollars a month.

Apple has not yet provided any information on the missing news widget. The function still appears in the iOS 17 user manual, which explains how to use the News widget. However, it states that the stories then open in the News app, which, as mentioned, does not exist in this country. As a workaround, some users suggest changing the region of the iPhone to the USA, in which case both the News app and the News widget will reappear. However, the content is then not curated for Germany and the region change also results in changes to figures and data, for example, which may have to be edited individually.

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(bsc)