Unread 2 is released as a separate app. Main new features are full-text extraction, feed management, and subscription based business model (USD20/year).
The subscription based business model was already announced 6 months ago:
https://www.goldenhillsoftware.com/2019/06/business-model-and-pricing-for-unread-2/
Back then I was curious about which features would be added and switched to Reeder 4 to see whether I could do without Unread. Apparently I could, because I never switched backā¦
Still, Iām going to give Unread 2 a try. Thanks for the heads up.
From $9.99 unlock in v.1 to $19.99/yr subscription for v.2. Hmm. Will be interesting to see how it compares to the competition, and whether the competition will follow suit.
I tried suggesting the dev to go a tiered or one-off for offline/sub for online component strategy earlier on. The dev insisted that it wouldnāt be sustainable.
Subscription for Unread 2 app + some sync service goes pretty expensive in the end. So Iām sticking with Reeder 4 for now. Iām looking forward to the official release of NetNewsWire on ios.
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Itās a lovely-looking app, but Iām trying to figure out what it offers that Reeder doesnāt.
I use the NewsBlur.com RSS service, and although I own the older Unread app as well as Reeder (Iām a promiscuous app buyer!) I find myself regularly resorting to NewsBlurās own slightly clunky free iOS app, largely because it has hooks other readers donāt have for some of the serviceās unique features, like a special updated folder called āInfrequent Site Storiesā which collects posts from subscribed sites that donāt update regularly. (I subscribe to thousands of sites, so this is a gem of a feature for me.) And the app also stars new items based on ātrainingā one can make on previous articles, so you can star by topic or author, or tag.
It also can do a text-only āreaderā view, and I use the share sheet to send items into Pocket. So Iām not sure what the new Unread is offering that demonstrates its value.
Having said that, most people who use RSS services already pay $60-$100/yr (although NewsBlur is just $35) so for power users the new Unread subscription might be a relatively small additional cost if it fits their workflow. I await a good deep-dive review.
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In my case, this was a fairly effortless buy.
I prefer Unread to the competing RSS apps mainly because the reading and gestural navigation experiences appeal to me. It feels clean and breezy, and because I keep my subscriptions list modest itās never too difficult to scan over everything and keep up with it.
I use Feedlyās free tier as my backend service, which means this is actually the only RSS-related cost I have. $20/year for that doesnāt seem too bad to me, especially with the new features being brought to the table.
I hope it evolves at a more steady pace now that the income stream is established.
Count me in as a NewsBlur lover but Iāve always like Unreadās clean and reading-focus app and interface as well as beautiful fonts. So, Unread+NewsBlur is the best combo for me.
Loved Unread. A lot.
But āsubscriptionā might as well be āAndroid Only.ā
Itās out of consideration, immediately.
I subscribed to Fiery Feeds for a year, but it had to go when more important apps changed to subscription.
Whatās been striking to me about all of this subscription-as-a-business-model changeover is that apps have dramatically changed their competitive set. It used to be that Unread was competing with other RSS readers. Now itās competing for limited subscription space with eels of every kind: text editors, calendars, everything buckets, office productivity software, mindmaps, outliners, music, HBO, etcā¦ etcā¦
Most people have to prioritize their eels.
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Sorry to buzz in here with a dumb question, but Unread doesnāt offer any highlighting features, does it?
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Iād love to read your thoughts on NewsBlur. Iāve tried it a few times because the ātrainingā features sound great in theory. But in reality I bounce off it because of that clunky interface. Also, the iPad app crashes on me, and iPad is the primary way I read RSS.
I use InoReader, which also provides for training and filtering, although not as fast to set up as (theoretically) NewsBlur.
You never have to visit NewsBlur or use their app if you donāt want to - just use the service. I resort to the app on my iPhone just for the serviceās unique features (and maybe a little out of laziness, combined with getting confused by the different UI/swiping differences in my other reader apps). I donāt have an iPad at this time so I canāt speak to stability, but the free linked app is rock solid on my iPhone and I have a gazillion feeds subscribed.
For the price NewsBlur is great, though I like the searching abilities in Feedly (InoReader too, I think.) Every Black Friday InoReader offers significant savings, and Iām always tempted. But for my uses NewsBlur works well enough.
Do you make much use of the training in Newsblur? Thatās the big draw for me ā in theory. In reality, I donāt know how much Iād use it.
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Yes I use it regularly to flag specific authors, to flag when updates from specific blogs get posted, and for certain included tags (which of course is dependent on the tags being used by the site). I follow 150+ Mac/tech sites alone so I (judiciously) want to know when select authors post something, for example.
I constantly train in Newsblur. My gripe there is they refuse to support wildcard training (I want to block most AP/syndicated author names from my local paperās feed by hiding anything with āUSATodayā etc. in it, for example.) So Iāve ended up with hundreds of training instances instead of the 30-40 I think I should actually need.
Really happy with the service overall, especially the iPad app which is where I do most of my consuming with its keyboard shortcuts. If itās crashing, write to support. Theyāve been responsive for me; they usually write back quickly with a link to the Github issue they made from my email. Iāve been a customer for about four years.
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I may have to try NewsBlur again.
I hate you guys. 
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I found that I wasnāt using it.
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I love Unread and I use it everyday. I donāt see any reason to subscribe so Iām keeping my version 1. Iām already paying for Feedbin for annual so I find this one to be another expensive way to get my news.
Iām going to keep my eye on Reeder, the old RSS app I use before Unread. For now, Iāll keep using the old version of Unread.
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Agree.
I also wish Unread had monthly subscription as Iām on the wall as to whether I want to move to 2 or stay with 1. Yearly sub is a no go for me.
I have found that Fiery Feeds is the only worthy successor to Mr.Reader for the best RSS reader. Have you guys tried it?
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