Published on September 30, 2025

How People Read News in 2025: Phones, Apps & Web

Think back a decade—waiting for a morning paper or tuning in to the evening broadcast felt normal. In 2025, that routine has mostly disappeared. For most people, news now lives in their pocket. A quick swipe on a phone, a push notification, or a scroll through an app is all it takes to catch up on the world. Digital platforms—whether Android, iOS, or plain old web browsers—have replaced print as the main gateway to information.

Key Statistics

60–65% of news worldwide is read on mobile devices.
In the U.S., 82% of adults check news on a phone, tablet, or computer, and 68% use news apps or websites regularly.
36% of mobile readers open a news app daily, while almost 73% do so at least once a week.
In South Korea and Japan, more than 80% of people rely on their phones as their primary news source.

Why Phones and Apps Win

It comes down to three things: convenience, speed, and extras. Apps deliver breaking news instantly, let people follow niche interests, and mix in podcasts, video, and live updates. Compare that with print—updated once a day—and it’s easy to see why readers turn to digital first.

What This Means for Readers

For audiences, the digital shift is a mixed bag. On the plus side, there’s constant access to real-time updates, global coverage, and a wider range of voices. The downside? Notification overload and the endless scroll, which can make it harder to slow down and really digest the news.

What This Means for Publishers

Publishers have their own balancing act. Mobile-first design, faster load times, and clever app features are now essential. At the same time, they’re competing for attention in a noisy feed and trying to keep revenue flowing through ads, subscriptions, or something in between. In the end, trust and quality reporting are still the biggest assets.

Looking Ahead

Apps will only get smarter—expect built-in translation, text-to-speech, and AI-driven personalization to become standard. But there’s another side to the story: readers are growing wary of constant alerts and questionable sources. The next phase of digital news may be less about quantity and more about choosing which outlets truly earn attention.