3.1 Features & Highlights
The LA Times: Essential California app is a comprehensive platform that brings the best of local news, culture, and events right to your fingertips. Here are some of its standout features that truly set it apart:
Real Experience Using LA Times: Essential California
Application Scenarios
As someone who thrives on staying informed about the happenings in California, the LA Times: Essential California app has seamlessly integrated into my daily routine. Every morning, I grab my coffee and scroll through the app to catch up on the latest news. It’s become a ritual for me to read the top stories while commuting to work. During lunch breaks, I often find myself diving into longer features that explore California's diverse culture and politics.
On weekends, the app is my go-to guide for local events. I remember last Sunday when I spontaneously decided to check out a new art exhibit in downtown Los Angeles. Thanks to the app’s local events calendar, I discovered an exhibition that was opening that very day, complete with directions and timing. The convenience of having all this information in one place truly enhances my experience as a California resident.
User Experience
The user interface of the LA Times: Essential California app is sleek and intuitive. Navigating through the different categories feels natural, and I love how articles are presented with eye-catching images that draw me in. Scrolling through my personalized feed is a breeze, as I can easily bookmark articles to read later or share them with friends. The performance is stellar; the app loads quickly and rarely crashes, which is a big plus for someone like me who often reads on the go.
One feature that stands out to me is the ability to adjust the font size for easier reading. This thoughtful detail shows that the developers really considered user accessibility. Overall, my experience using the app has been overwhelmingly positive; it’s become an essential tool for both staying informed and engaging with my community.
Pricing
The LA Times: Essential California app offers a variety of subscription options that cater to different needs. There’s a free version available, which provides access to a limited number of articles per month, but for full access to premium content, users can opt for a monthly or annual subscription. I chose the annual plan, which not only saves me a bit of money compared to the monthly fees but also unlocks all the in-depth features and articles that I find invaluable.
Updates & Support
Updates to the app are frequent and usually include new features or improvements based on user feedback. I appreciate that the developers are actively enhancing the app, making it more user-friendly over time. In terms of support, I found the help section to be comprehensive, addressing common issues and questions. If I ever need to contact customer service, the response times are generally quick, demonstrating their commitment to user satisfaction.
Security & Privacy Review
As an American user, security and privacy are of utmost importance to me, especially when using apps that require personal information. The LA Times: Essential California app can be downloaded from both the App Store and Google Play, ensuring that it meets the security standards of these platforms. Upon registration, the app does ask for basic personal data, such as an email address for account creation, but it’s clear about how this information will be used, which I appreciate.
Importantly, the app does not bombard users with ads, which enhances the reading experience. I also noticed minimal tracking behavior, with clear options to manage my preferences regarding personalized content. Overall, I feel secure using this app, knowing that my data is handled responsibly while I enjoy the rich content it offers.





The Times is obviously great reporting. The app is terrible. When I try to open push notifications, it routes me through a browser, which then demands to know my subscription info to then take me to the app, which has me saved as a subscriber. Also, the sections on the app are too limited - for example, there's no Covid section, line the NYT - which partly makes it hard to find the article I was just notified about, can't access by clicking because of the browser issue, and would like to read.





I'm a paid subscriber and am logged in to my account in the app. However the download feature (for reading offline) doesn't with and hasn't worked for months. It shows either 0% or an infinite spinner. The edition is never downloaded. I tried: force stop, uninstall/reinstall, clear cache, clear data, and anything else I could think of, several times, but it still never works. I have 87GB free storage on the phone so it's not out of space.





How is there no "night mode"? Clearly someone thought through the required color scheme, as it's in place if you click on the "Settings" icon in the top right-hand corner. When clicking on their lead article (while I was already logged-in to the app), I was prompted to login again as though I were using a web browser. How does a newspaper with the 4th largest circulation in the U.S. have such a mediocre app? It's jaw-dropping when compared with the apps for WaPo or the NYT.





The content is good, the app is buggy. The enewspaper lacka basic controls and doesn't integrate with Android very well - hitting the back button will exit the newspaper, but if you click on a link, there's no way for you to return to the newspaper. You also can't share from the enewspaper, and in the places where you can share links, it's not the standard Android share menu. Also, PLEASE get rid of the ads on the bottom of the page.





Canceling my subscription due to a combination of things. Seeing the same story appear multiple times in multiple sections. Seeing the same story at the top of a section for over a week. The app is very sensitive and will scroll left or right to a new article while trying to scroll up or down in the current one I'm reading. No way to just see a list of all articles instead of a "curated" list that repeats articles multiple times. Buttons for changing font, bookmarking and sharing pop up on the side if you scroll up even slightly, obscuring article text. Finally, getting emails almost every day with subscription deals after I've already subscribed.
Review Source: Google Play store public user reviews.
The LA Times: Essential California app is intended for a general audience. However, users under the age of 13 may need parental consent to use the app, as it may collect personal information as per the app's privacy policy.
Yes, the app typically provides access to older articles, allowing users to search for past content. Depending on the app's features, you may be able to filter articles by date or topic for easier navigation.
Yes, the app allows users to customize their news feed by selecting topics of interest. You can choose specific categories or follow certain journalists to tailor the content you see based on your preferences.
Yes, the app includes sharing options that allow you to easily share articles on various social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as through email or messaging apps.
Yes, the LA Times: Essential California app features multimedia content, including podcasts and videos related to California news and stories. You can find these within the app, offering a richer experience beyond just written articles.
Yes, you can change your account settings by accessing the "Settings" section within the app's main menu.
You can reach customer service by calling 1-800-LA-Times or visiting the LA Times website for support options.
To cancel your subscription, go to your account settings in the app and follow the prompts for subscription management.
Your customer number is typically found on your billing statement or in your account settings within the app.
Open the app and tap on the "Log In" button. Enter your email and password associated with your LA Times account.