Apple has significantly bolstered its News+ subscription service by adding The Washington Post at no additional cost to subscribers. The move represents Apple’s continued evolution beyond its original magazine-focused positioning toward a comprehensive digital news platform. Current subscribers began receiving pop-up notifications within the Apple News app alerting them to the new inclusion, which adds one of America’s most prominent newspapers to the $12.99 monthly service.
Expanding News+ Beyond Magazine Roots
When Apple News+ launched in March 2019, the company heavily emphasized its digital magazine library featuring titles like The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, and National Geographic. However, Apple has steadily transformed the service into a broader content platform. The addition of The Washington Post follows other major newspaper inclusions like The Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times, plus recent additions including The Athletic and The Verge.
This strategic shift reflects changing consumer reading habits and the declining magazine industry. According to Pew Research Center data, newspaper digital circulation revenue grew 11% in 2024 while print revenue continued declining. Apple’s expansion into daily newspapers and digital-native publications positions News+ as a comprehensive solution for readers seeking diverse news sources in a single subscription.
Gaming and Food: Unexpected News+ Expansions
Beyond traditional publishing, Apple has aggressively expanded News+ into two surprising categories: games and food. The service now includes a growing collection of daily puzzle games, including recent additions like the Emoji game that challenges players to guess phrases from emoji combinations. These casual games provide engagement beyond reading while keeping users within the Apple ecosystem.
Earlier this year, Apple added tens of thousands of food recipes alongside innovative cooking features. The recipe library integrates with Apple’s services through features like grocery list creation and cooking timers. This expansion into lifestyle content reflects Apple’s strategy to make News+ a daily habit for subscribers beyond news consumption. Industry analysts note these additions help justify the $12.99 monthly price point amid growing subscription fatigue.
The Washington Post’s Strategic Value
The inclusion of The Washington Post represents a significant coup for Apple News+. The newspaper, owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos since 2013, has maintained one of the most successful digital subscription businesses in journalism. The Post recently reported reaching 4 million total subscribers, with digital-only subscriptions driving most growth.
For Apple, adding The Washington Post strengthens News+ against competitors like The New York Times’ subscription bundle and various news aggregators. The partnership follows Apple’s pattern of securing exclusive content deals, similar to its arrangement with The Wall Street Journal that provides full article access rather than limited previews. This full-access approach differentiates News+ from Apple’s free news offering, which typically provides only article previews.
Subscription Economics and Future Outlook
At $12.99 monthly standalone or as part of the $37.95 Apple One Premier bundle, News+ faces stiff competition in the crowded subscription market. However, the service’s expanding content library provides increasing value justification. According to Statista research, individual subscriptions to major publications like The Wall Street Journal ($39 monthly) and The Washington Post ($12 monthly) would cost significantly more than Apple’s bundled approach.
Apple’s News+ strategy appears focused on creating an indispensable daily platform that combines news, entertainment, and utility features. The service’s growth mirrors Apple’s broader services revenue strategy, which generated $24.2 billion in the first quarter of 2025. Future expansions could include more international publications, enhanced audio content, or deeper integration with other Apple services like Fitness+ or Apple TV+.
The Washington Post addition signals Apple’s commitment to making News+ a comprehensive digital newsstand. As the service continues evolving beyond its magazine origins, it represents Apple’s growing influence in content distribution and its strategy to create sticky ecosystems that keep users engaged across multiple Apple services throughout their day.
