The Straits Times Reviews

by Kelxia

The ads are so easily triggered while scrolling. Any slight brush causes the browser to open with the ad. I can’t get through a single article now without accidentally opening these ads multiple times. The latest update now also has full screen ads that moves the close button around. Sometimes this button is camouflaged with the background so you can’t find it causing more opening of ads. Such cheap tricks to increase clock through to ads is not what I expected from a respected news source.

by Kukubord1138

I already had a subscription, but the moment I change to this new app, it is asking me to subscribe....disappointing!

by Senilagu

Previously you can print out an article using the web based log in, now that function has been removed.

As a result you can’t share an article with your friend who do not have a subscription.

Another features that were removed years Avon is for the reader to comment on the article. Most reputable newspaper allowed that. That was remove a few years ago.

As for TheStraitsTimes. It is better than in the past. But if one one needs flexibility, one would use the web based link.

by Michlhw

More ads for a subscription i am paying for? Scrolling on my phone works poorly and the print edition is gone! That was the feature I used the most. Sure, the look is nice and refreshed but now the functionality is so poor being forced to use the pdf to read the print editions. Who in the right mind does this? Please learn from Apple and how good the Apple News app is. And bring the print edition back so I can read in a continuous page with proper formatting! This is so annoying.

by Jasher0

Ever since this new iPhone version has been released each push notification is being sent 2-3 at a time. That in addition to the fact that they are sending 5+ or more notifications. Opinion columns and heart attack studies are not notification news worthy. I'll be looking for another way to get my local Singapore news.

by W Family NYC

Do not install and accept this version without reading and understanding the new License Conditions which includes, among other things, your indemnification of Singapore Press Holdings for certain acts. Review and understand their use of your information for location-based services as well. After reading this I deleted TheStraitsTimes from my iPhone and iPad and cancelled my subscription.

by Mr Muggsy

Crashes 9 out of 10 times; thru the years & versions it hasn't improved. Advertisements load quickly and perfectly, even when everything else has locked up. Effort focused not on the user but rather on protecting their copyright: eg impossible to share an article's text, not even a snippet; eg TheStraitsTimes resets if you switch apps, forcing you to reselect the paper & page once again. It is clear the intent is to have a mobile presence & try to monetise it, rather than actual news delivery.

by Korean Fried Chicken 233

Bad usability. High cost. Still serves you ads even if you pay. Ads are always clicked by “accident” no matter what

by Gingerpeony

TheStraitsTimes is serving up pop-up advertising at every opportunity, at startup, after every link, including video pop-ups. Very disruptive and irritating. Plus the video pop-ups are sucking up bandwidth, which occurs at every link. Very bad form for a respectable news org. Makes TheStraitsTimes almost unusable, unless you have the patience to live with the nonsense.

by Xplore123

Always unable to login with my subscriptions via iTunes.

Unable to restore in-app purchase and no other options to reset login.

by Coventrm

I bought a subscription on my iPad but the phone won’t recognize this. Is this one purpose? I subscribe to several newspapers and all of the then work across devices with one subscription.

by Shadow Slime

The ads are the most irritating “feature” in all the mobile apps. If your subscribers are not given the ability to turn off the ads, then please do not charge your subscribers.

by Jeff Tan YS

With the downloaded e-paper, each page takes about 2 seconds to load when you flip through the pages, which is irritating and strain the eyes. Please resolve the issue soonest possible or I will unsubscribe Straits Times.!

by Volcanic-53

There is no way to remove it. I deleted TheStraitsTimes because I prefer using Safari when visiting its site. After an uninstall, its icon vanishes, along with its app listing in iOS Settings, but it remains fully functional as an un-deletable ghost app when launching from a bookmark or a Safari page icon saved to my Home Page. Only workaround: manually type the Straits Times’ URL in Safari every time you visit the site. This should not be permitted.

by Dbackler

Two things…

I am in NY and now it is saying it can not find the server…. I have to use a vpn in Asia to be able to load content from ST.

Even if i subscribed fully still dont have access to everything

by Yida Pang

Every time when I open the PDF version TheStraitsTimes crashes.

by HenryRoxas

Pop ups, ads near the buttons to switch news sections and in-line articles when you're scrolling through articles.

It costs more than the New York Times and has the most ads I've seen for any news app.

Please reduce

by Ajollyaffairsg

Even though I have a subscription and am logged in, am told that I have no access to epaper. Have to logout and relogin again. Newspaper also doesn't load.

by The Count2

ST and CNA need to change their back swipe to take you back to the main page, not the previous article. You are the only news app that does this. If I skipped articles, there’s a reason for it. Why force me back to them?

by Taletee

The latest build is so different (better) in form and style from all that has come before that it is hard to imagine it coming from the same team, or company.
Whatever it is that you are doing, SPH, please keep at it. It's certainly in the right direction.
The user interface is rich and intuitive. It is easy to navigate and a joy to use. It is no longer a poor cousin of the print edition and can stand on its own as a complete Straits Times.
While it is no FT or NYT, is comes very close; without mimicking or copying. Kudos to the development team.
Now that the electronic version has caught up with the print edition, perhaps ST can set its ambitions higher and aim for a global readership, much like the FT or the NYT. With more op-ed, analyses and features that appeal to a globalized audience trying to understand Asia or the world through Asian eyes.
Best of luck!

by Sirentian

This latest version keeps crashing the moment I open TheStraitsTimes --I can't even see the front page of the ST app before it collapses back to my iPhone home screen. Please fix!

by Selespeedtan

Other than fixing the bug, the new update is worse than the original. White background is hard to read and glaring to eyes. Terrible!

I suggest you take a look at how usatoday or by New York Times how they do it

by Ehhemmer

It crashes the second you launch TheStraitsTimes . When you do manage to open it, immediately a full screen ad hijacks your screen. Not easy to get to the news! Annoying and forgettable app.

by Dw66

TheStraitsTimes is crashes so often that it is no longer convenient to read stories even for a few minutes. It's also chock full of advertisements that annoy you to no end. Better to stick to paper.

by Seeingstevie

The system asks for a subscription to view the paper in pdf format when I have an ongoing subscription that covers that. This has happen countless times over the past few years when I had switched to online viewing rather than reading a physical paper. Please fix it. Once or twice is acceptable. Frequent periodic screw ups are not, especially for a national paper.

by Goodgoat

iOS app Works great but Apple Watch app is not native and is usually a blank screen.

by Andrewteoh

Links to Straits Times website in the daily email digests should launch in the ST app if installed.

by Darick Yeo

Great app... Would give a 5 star if you update horizontal view for PDF news!