What happened to the Drudge Report App?

Probably because Apple didn't delete the app. So they have nothing to explain. Now I realize that Matt Drudge is such a shy, reticent kind of guy who wouldn't think of stirring up trouble, so if Apple had removed his app from the app store it would never occur to him to complain about it to his audience. Oh, wait...

The fact is that Drudge hasn't said a word about it in the 8 months since it has been gone. I can only think of two logical possibilities:

1. Drudge removed it.
2. Apple caught the app stealing user data.

Even when asked directly, Drudge has ignored the question. So I would lean towards the 2nd possibility. However, for the first possibility, last June drudgereport.com was completely redesigned to make it "responsive" - that is, have it dynamically adapt to the type of device it is displayed on. It's really rather attractive now, whether viewed on a computer, a smartphone or a tablet. And each view is different and optimized for the device it is viewed on. So it's likely that PTB at Drudge decided they didn't need a separate app that they would have to continue paying for and supporting.

What you can do to access the Drudge Report is to go to https://drudgereport.com in the Safari (or other) browser on your phone. And if you use Safari you can even save the link as a "favorite" with its own icon on your Home screen, just as if it was an app.

Apple doesn’t arbitrarily stop offering apps. Either the developer pulled it from the App Store or the developer did something within the app that doesn’t pass Apple’s standards for App Store offerings. Or it’s a legal thing. Either way, it’s the developer you need to be talking to about this, not Apple.

It has nothing to do with censorship. As proof just open Safari and go to http://drudgereport.com. If it was censorship you would not be able to do that. While no one knows for sure why the app is no longer available the evidence points to the fact that Drudge stopped supporting the app in favor of their updated iPhone-friendly website, as the app was removed from the app store around the same time the update to the site was released last June. You might consider reading the thread you posted to for more information. And by the way, do you think that Matt Drudge has suddenly gotten shy? Don't you think that if it was censorship there would be a banner headline at drudgereport.com?

Why do you think this forum is a good place to find the answer? It's a user to user forum. Apple does not participate. Who do you think can provide an answer here?

What we know:

• Multiple people have asked Drudge. They have not replied.
• Matt Drudge is not shy; he is happy to attack anyone who he feels has slighted him. But he has not said a word on this subject, and the app has been gone for the better part of a year.
• It's disappearance more or less coincided with Apple requiring that apps be updated to 64 bits to be supported by iOS 12.
• Apple has not said anything. Normally if Apple pulls an app, especially a sensitive one, they say why.
• If you had the app previously installed Drudge stopped updating its data feed last summer.
• Last summer Drudge redesigned its site to be "responsive" - that is, to adapt to the device it was viewed on, specifically targeting mobile devices

That's all we have to go on. So to speculate, here are a few possibilities:

• Drudge didn't want to go the expense of continuing to pay whatever developer they subcontracted the development to ( can't picture Matt Drudge as a coder).
• With the site redesign Drudge felt that a separate app was unnecessary. And to work with the new site the app would have to be completely redesigned. (See the previous bullet)
• Drudge decided that Apple users are not his target market.
• The app was secretly stealing user's data. Apple would have either pulled it for this, or would have told Drudge to stop doing so (see bullet 1). Note that Google is not good a policing the Play Store, and the Android App could still be stealing user data.
• It's unlikely that Apple would have pulled it for political reasons, because there are several apps in the App Store that have similar functionality to the missing app that include Drudge syndications, as well as other conservative-leaning apps. Likewise Apple has not blocked Safari from viewing the Drudge Report.

But it's unlikely that there will ever be a definitive answer.

What is everyone doing to access the Drudge Report? Why would Apple delete from the App store? Why isn’t Apple explaining their action?

1. Use Safari.
2. There is no indication that Apple removed it. The Drudge Report improved their mobile website. There's a good possiblity that they didn't feel a need to continue supporting the app. Do you honestly believe they would be silent if Apple had required them to remove the app.
3. This is a user-to-user forum. Apple doesn't explain anything here.

Now, my question for you: Did you bother to read the other four pages of this thread before posting?

I’ve used the app forever, and in the last month or so it has shown AMAZON.COM at the top of the screen. Since that started, I am inundated with pop up ads every time I select an article to read. Just a guess, but I’m thinking it has something to do with Apple's not carrying the app anymore. Fine with me, I’m deleting the app and just going through my iPhone browser, and guess what? No more AMAZON.COM header, or annoying pop ups!

All evidence points to the fact that DRUDGE removed the app, not Apple. Tell me, do you really think Matt Drudge is shy? That he wouldn't raise public **** if he thought that he had been slighted by Apple, one of his favorite targets? HONESTLY? Get real!

The only other possibility that fits the facts is that Apple discovered the app was stealing user data and removed it for that reason. If that was the case then certainly Drudge would be reticent about talking about it. Perhaps the Android version still steals user data. Google isn't as good as Apple at protecting their users from malware in apps. To add credence to this second possibility, lots of people have directly asked the Drudge site why the app is gone. They have been met with deafening silence.

It could also be the fact that last June Drudge updated their site to be "responsive" - that is, to dynamically customize the presentation for the type of device it is being viewed on. Thus, if you go to the site using Safari on your phone you will see an iPhone or iPad-friendly version of the site. The app disappeared about the same time this change was made.

Does anyone if this has anything to do about censorship? Wow, I cannot believe Apple would attempt to hide information from it’s customers. If so, we will are out of here!

As has been pointed out, several times, if Apple is trying to censor anything, they're doing an extremely poor job. You can still access the Drudge Report from any iPhone, iPad or Mac. Just use a browser. Do you think Apple is that stupid?

You could just open Safari and go to https://drudgereport.com and get the real thing. It even looks and works better than the app did. And you can save it as an icon on your Home screen, so you can also go to it the same way you did to the app.

You can add an icon for the website to your apple device home screen by touching the send icon (box with up arrow) and selecting add to home screen.

Probably because Drudge pulled it. If Apple had pulled it don't you think Matt Drudge would be screaming CENSORSHIP! to the skies, and probably suing Apple? Instead Drudge has said nothing about it, despite multiple inquiries from subscribers.

So you jump in with both feet without bothering to read the thread you posted to. Apple did not "pull" the Drudge app. Drudge removed it. Which you would know if you had done any research at all.

download “the report” app. It’s a conservative news app which you can read drudge on 🙂

Apple doesn’t care what you read.

Why not not bookmark the Drudge site and save the bookmark to your home screen? It will be pretty close to having an app.

Well, your rant is completely bogus since it was Drudge that removed the report - not Apple. It's always a good idea to actually read the thread before making a statement that simply makes you look foolish.

GB