Reddit annoys users with forced app usage on iOS
Those not interested in the social network's iPhone app read via browser. But that's often no longer possible – at least in a test.
Reddit app: Those who read in the browser are lured into it.
(Image: Koshiro K/Shutterstock.com)
iOS has long offered the ability to place a notice at the very top when visiting websites, indicating the potential availability of an app from the provider. However, this can be dismissed or at least ignored by the user. This is different now with the social network Reddit: they are trying to force app usage for at least a subset of users. This is reported by, among others, the IT blog Ars Technica. There appears to be no way to dismiss this with a “No thanks.”
Specific Target Group Targeted
Reddit detects smartphone usage by querying the browser. If you use a mobile version, the corresponding overlay can appear. It simply states, “Get the app to continue using Reddit.” It is not possible to skip, bypass, or close the pop-over. Instead, there is only a large button to switch to the app store. “Search better, personalize your feed, and never miss an update on your favorite communities,” the company advertises. The current rating (4.5 out of 5 stars) is also displayed.
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The approach is not actually new for US internet giants; providers like Meta (Instagram) or X (formerly Twitter) also try to persuade users to switch to the app with large notice signs when they are on the go. However, there were and still are workarounds here. Reddit does not offer these to affected users. In addition, the “offer” targets a specific “target group”: users who are not logged into Reddit, i.e., those who want to browse in a privacy-friendly manner.
Currently still “a test”
Reddit also confirmed this to Ars Technica: “We recently started running a test for a small subset of frequent logged-out mobile users that prompts them to download the app after visiting the site.” The spokesperson further stated that users are already familiar with Reddit and that they believe these users would have a “much better experience in the app.” The fact that Reddit also gets more and more precise data this way – for example, by requiring the user to be logged in – was not mentioned.
Critics say that Reddit is breaking the mobile web with this approach. On Reddit itself, the measure was reported as a mistake. “Reddit is a website; why is it forcing me to the app?”
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