New Scientist
- Accurate, easy-to-understand coverage of the latest discoveries – and what they will mean for your life.
- A fresh, rational perspective on international news, from healthcare to energy.
- In-depth features that explore the big questions about life, the universe and what it means to be human.
The New Scientist app allows you to read each weekly issue on your Android device, including in-depth articles, videos and links to references. Download the New Scientist app read sample issues for free, buy individual issues or buy a subscription.
If you already have a subscription, please contact customer services to include app access as part of your subscription before logging in to the app. Customer services details can be found here: https://www.newscientist.com/in431-android-app-faq/
Details on subscription terms and conditions:
- Length: Subscriptions are available for a 1 month term (4 issues) or 1 year term (51 issues). Delivery is weekly.
- Payment will be charged through Google Play’s billing system at confirmation of purchase.
- Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current subscription period.
- Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. Renewals are similarly available for 1 month or 1 year.
- Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase.
- No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period.
- Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication.
- Privacy policy information can be found here: https://www.newscientist.com/in9-privacy-policy/?full=true#cookies
- Terms of Use can be found here: https://www.newscientist.com/in5-terms-and-conditions/
- Subscriptions via Google Play do not include unlimited access to newscientist.com.
Category : News & Magazines
Reviews (28)
Never been a great app, but at least this recent version is faster. I could literally make myself a cup of tea while the old one was loading. complaints about this version include having to have the content page portrait, although the actual articles can be read landscape, and that it doesn't seem to remember where I last left off. A step backwards as the old version did.
If you exit the app it loses the place where you left off reading. The old app did not do that. The moving banner of text at the bottom of every page from the audio option gives me motion sickness. It can't be removed. On the plus side the very light blue writing that was previously used as a highlight is gone. A distinct step backwards in the reading experience for the sake of some tack-on features.
I've been reading New Scientist for over 40 years and this new app is completely deflating to use on my Android tablet. I prefer to use my tablet in landscape mode, but the Home pages don't allow this, so that I have to flip the tablet around each time I select an article to read The old Dark theme has completely gone, which is a shame as I personally found this theme to be easier on my eyes. Where have all of my paid for, downloaded issues over the last 3 years gone to? Not good enough.
Two problems stop this getting 5 stars. While it works well on a phone it is not so good on a tablet where landscape use is more natural. The articles themselves rotate ok but the menu page is stuck in portrait mode. On a Chromebook it is even worse. The app is now stuck in a portrait phone shaped window whereas the old app filled the screen. Downloading editions appears more instant and the menu page is improved though so that's a win
What did you do to the app?! I threw away all my old paper issues because your app was great and I was able to easily download past digital issues and save into my scrap book to stay organised what I have read. You have now scrapped that feature completely and replaced it with just a bookmark for individual articles. Why would you make such an aweful change than what you had before? Did you even get any feedback from your actual readers before you did this? A really disrespectful decision.
Works really well and more pleasant to use than the mobile site on a phone screen. Only issue, and why I'm not giving it 5 stars is that it doesn't register the URL in the system. Clicking on New Scientist urls should automatically open them in the app (like, as an example, the Guardian app)
NS offers some of the best writing about science you will find. The pieces are clear and concise. Their recent app upgrade is a vast improvement and was way overdue. My only knock on the magazine is that it suffers ideological bias, a sadly all too common condition for any publication these days. That said, I've been a paying subscriber for years.
Latest update is terrible - it has less basic functionality than ever. The app used to have the tab for my downloaded issues - no more. The app used to remember where I was up to - no more. These are pretty basic expectations for a magazine app and they've been removed. Bring them back, please.
This new version is a vast improvement over the old clunky one. Magazine issues download almost instantly, navigation within the issues is far more intuitive. And having subscriber content in the app is a godsend. Long overdue, but well done!
Looks good, easy access to the different elements, BUT NO SEARCH or help functions. In my opinion a search function is the most important feature of any digital format, doubly so for a factual publication. Very disappointed.
A serious downgrade on the old app (which was only 3 stars at best). Most disappointingly it no longer remembers the article I was last reading so I have to scroll and find my place every time. Occasionally cannot swipe right to the next article so have to exit the page, then scroll and find my article again. Glad my subscription expires next week, I will not be renewing
Should do better NS. Please return the ability to pick up where the reader left off (bookmarking articles is not the same thing). Allow people to quickly and easily access the content they've paid for, sometimes it feels like you're gearing up for ad spam in the app.
After 4 weeks of download and reading issues in latest version of app with all its new faults compared with previous version, I now can't read April 1st issue. It says I have read 'free' items and needs to subscribe. But at same time it recognises that I am a current logged on in subscriber! What a crazy app.
The "new app" is incorrectly written for larger portrait screens such as chromebooks. It is better to look at the content on a web browser, but I suspect there is material that is missing.
The new app is no better than the last. Slow or entirely unresponsive. Even less of the print version's curated feel and some content still not available offline. But please fix the slowness when opening the app.
App treats me as a guest now even though I am a paid subscriber. I have sent New Scientist an email detailing my problem and cancelling my subscription. They were quite happy to cancel my subscription but did not even acknowledge my problem in their email reply. Since I am still paying for this service at the moment I expect the access I have paid for or a refund. What a way to treat a subscriber of 20 years. Shocking customer service.
This is a very poor update...in fact it is a major downgrade. It has obviously been designed and written by a functionally and aesthetically retarded chimp. If tested at all, it was by the same idiot who wrote it. The previous version was buggy, but I now long for its return.
New update is a step backwards. Previously, it would save your place in an issue; now you lose it as soon as you close the app. Other than offline access, there is now no advantage over using the website
Much, much better ! .... But it was to the detriment of the magazine. Night mode is out, RIP eyes ! Horizontal resize for screen is messy. Finally there s no more offline mode, it wont let you read your downloaded magazine on your local storage if you don t have internet. That s pants-on stupid and on leveI of your coffee maker refusing to do an expresso because it need to upgrade its firmware... I read NS on the tube but I cant anymore, so until that is fixed bye bye subscription !
Liking the new version, BUT, changing the text size does not seem to affect the headlines pages, only the articles. Small text on headline pages is sometimes difficult to read
It is incredibly annoying to pay for an expensive subscription and not be able to read articles. Even the message blocking and asking you to subscribe says 'active subscription found'. A truly terrible bug
A dream came true - news and categories are now also available in the app. And a direct access to audio. Great tool, great content, thanks to everyone involved.
New version 9 months after the review below. Same problem: Cannot read anything after last update. New version, same issue, different error message. They say to email them: they no longer respond to emails either.
This app crashes time after time. I like the concept but the execution is poor New release has fixed the problem. Thank you
Very disapointed in the new app. The old one was much more like reading the paper version. Will not be renewing my subscription.
Cannot open app on Chromebook even though it says installed Chromebook is up to date Version 100.0.4896.133 (Official Build) (32-bit) This app is available for all of your devices (Google Kukui) But does not open !
While still a good read, NS has shifted to a more populist content than its title implies. I also miss the experience of reading the magazine from cover to cover.
As a long-term subscriber, I've used this app for many years. The addition of the audio aspect has been wonderful, which is why it's so darn frustrating that the app seems unable to unlock the audio for subscribers even when it says "active subscription found". The app is also very prone to crashing now. The need to make "improvements" to a working app is one of modern life's annoyances.