# Island Packet News Hilton Head — South Carolina Local Articles

> Local news, sports, and video from Hilton Head and the Lowcountry. (iPhone/iPad app by The McClatchy Company.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/island-packet-news-hilton-head/id510496152 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [The McClatchy Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/382902281)
- Category: News, Magazines & Newspapers
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.50/5 from 1,745 App Store ratings · 54 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 12+
- Requires: iOS 17.0 · 145 MB
- Languages: American English, European Spanish
- Released: 2012-03-20
- Data updated: 2026-09-10
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/island-packet-news-hilton-head/id510496152/reviews.md

## What is Island Packet News Hilton Head?

The Hilton Head Island Packet newspaper app is faster and easier to use. Read or watch daily local news coverage, investigative reporting, national headline news, crime, sports, local business, and more from Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, Hardeeville, Beaufort, and communities across the South Carolina Lowcountry.

The Island Packet is your trusted source for local, daily journalism serving coastal South Carolina. Our newsroom provides reporting on local government, public institutions, public safety, education, business, and community issues affecting residents throughout the Lowcountry, alongside statewide coverage and national headline news.

LOCAL NEWS
• Daily local news and stories from Hilton Head, Bluffton, Hardeeville, Beaufort, and the Lowcountry
• AI generated summaries on all articles reviewed by our newsroom
• The Hilton Head Island Packet newspaper opinions, editorials and columns
• Edition, a digital destination providing a complete daily report of local, statewide, national, and world news curated overnight by our editors

LIVE VIDEO
• Watch live video of local news stories and major national news coverage
• View photos and videos from local reporting and community events

LOCAL SPORTS
• Full coverage reporting on local, pro and college sports teams
• Stay connected to your favorite teams and favorite sports writers

PERSONALIZATION
• Stay informed on the topics and articles that matter to you
• Favorite topics to get personalized feeds
• Search for news articles, videos, games and more
• Bookmark news articles to read later
• Read articles your way with full support for dark mode and light mode

Other Features
• Browse articles by category
• Share articles on Facebook, X Twitter or by email
• Comment on news articles
• Access and download previous issues of our newspaper
• Recharge and unwind with puzzles and games

GET DAILY NEWS AND MORE WITH THE PACKET LOCAL NEWSPAPER APP
Stay connected to trusted local journalism from Hilton Head and the Lowcountry, covering crime, sports, community developments, and national headlines.

Read our Privacy Policy
https://mcclatchy.com/privacy-policy
Read our Terms of Service
https://www.islandpacket.com/customer-service/terms-of-service/text-only/
For California Residents
https://www.mcclatchy.com/ccpa-pp

## Key features

- Daily local news coverage
- Investigative reporting
- Live video streaming
- Local sports updates
- Personalized news feeds
- Digital newspaper editions
- Puzzles and games

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual Subscription | $159.99 | per year |
| Monthly Subscription | $15.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $9.99 | per month |


## Chart rankings

- #159 in Top Grossing · News (US App Store)
- #112 in Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers (US App Store)

## What do users think of Island Packet News Hilton Head?

Overall sentiment: negative

**Pros**

- 📰 Great local news coverage
- 💻 Convenient online access

**Cons**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find content
- 💰 Excessive ads and paywalls
- 🔄 Repeated login issues

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App not opening or refreshing content
- Incompatibility with older devices and iOS versions

**Most requested features**

- Bring back previous newspaper-style layout
- Improve content organization and discoverability
- Reduce ads and paywalls for subscribers

## Recent user reviews (10 of 54)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/island-packet-news-hilton-head/id510496152/reviews.md

### 4/5 — IP players and minuses

*2026-08-10*

I love the local news in The Island Packet. Also, I do the crossword every day.
Sometimes, the liberal politics are a little annoying with the editorials and even front page stories leaning left. Balanced, or even right leaning, would better represent our state.

**Developer response:** We appreciate you taking the time to let us know your feedback. This will be passed along to our newsroom.

Thank you,
Customer Care

### 2/5 — Ridiculously Expensive

*2026-06-19*

I don’t get it, but, I pay it.  Good content but I just don’t get why it’s so expensive.  It’s not the money, it’s the principle…

**Developer response:** Dear Valued Customer, Please contact us at wecare@mcclatchy.com so we can assist you. Thank you, Customer Care.

### 3/5 — Digital Packet subscription

*2026-05-27, version 11.1.1*

In May 2025 I was paying $15.99 monthly; May 2026 $19.99 monthly; next month it will be $6.22 weekly which is $26.95 monthly…+68% in 2 years?  Far cry from the Fed’s 2% target!?  I’ll miss reading it every morning.

### 5/5 — Doesn’t work with older cell phones

*2026-04-04*

Despite just renewing my subscription the new version doesn’t work and can’t be downloaded on my phone.  I will be canceling tomorrow. No warning from customer services about this .

**Developer response:** Dear Valued Customer. I’m sorry for the issue you are experiencing. The latest version of The Island Packet app for Apple requires iOS 17.1+ and Android 8.0+. Older devices that can’t upgrade won’t be able to run it. Please reach out to us at wecare@mcclatchy.com with your contact information as we would like the opportunity to correct. In the meantime, you can still access the edition through a web browser. We look forward to your feedback. Thanks, Customer Care

### 1/5 — What is going on????

*2026-03-08*

I, too, have an older phone that this new version does not work on. I am a loyalty paid subscriber through May 2028!!! What should I do?

**Developer response:** I’m sorry for the issue you are experiencing. The latest version of The Island Packet app requires iOS 17.1+, so older iPads that can’t upgrade won’t be able to run it. To make sure you can still access the app without interruption, we can provide a tablet device that’s compatible and will work with The Island Packet app right away. If you’d like to proceed, email us at wecare@mcclatchy.com and include: Your full name Mailing address Best phone number (optional, for delivery questions) Once we receive that, we’ll get the replacement tablet arranged and share next steps. Thanks, Customer Care

### 1/5 — App not available for iPad iOS

*2026-03-06, version 10.4.0*

Unfortunately new App won’t load on iPad unless it has iOS 17.

### 1/5 — Useles

*2026-03-06*

The new app is useless if one’s I Pad cannot run version 17.0.  My 16.7 version will not download the new app.  When I open my Island Packett App, your app recision tells me I must download the newer version to continue reading and I cannot since I am not a 17.0 user.  I went to the App Store and found the older version of your app which was recommended for older I Pad users but after downloading , when Inopen the app it takes me to the same page that requires me to download the newer app which my IP cannot accept.  HENCE YOU HAVE JUST FIRED ME AS A CUSTOMER.  I will call today and CANCEL my subscription.

**Developer response:** Dear valued subscriber,  

I’m sorry for the issue you are experiencing. The latest version of The Island Packet app requires iOS 17.1+, so older iPads that can’t upgrade won’t be able to run it. To make sure you can still access the app without interruption, we can provide a tablet device that’s compatible and will work with The Island Packet app right away. If you’d like to proceed, email us at wecare@mcclatchy.com and include: Your full name Mailing address Best phone number (optional, for delivery questions) Once we receive that, we’ll get the replacement tablet arranged and share next steps. Thanks, Customer Care

### 1/5 — Garbage

*2025-11-18, version 10.4.0*

Requires repeated sign in on iPad

### 1/5 — Very Glitchy!!

*2025-05-19*

I’m not sure what is going on, this app keeps making me login and then sell me a subscription which I already have. I have to delete the app, reinstall it and login to read an article. I have to do this for every article! Customer service is awful. Please fix this.

### 1/5 — Clunky

*2025-02-01, version 10.0.6*

Slow loading, paywalls and ads

## Frequently asked questions about Island Packet News Hilton Head

### What kind of news does this app provide?

This app provides daily local news coverage, investigative reporting, national headline news, crime updates, sports news, local business information, and more. It focuses on news from Hilton Head, Bluffton, Hardeeville, Beaufort, and the Lowcountry in South Carolina.

### Can I watch videos through the app?

Yes, you can watch live video of local news stories and national news coverage. The app also features stunning photos and videos of local news and community events.

### Is this app free to use?

The app is free to download and use, offering access to news content. However, it does have in-app purchases and advertisements, which may affect the user experience or unlock additional features.

### What devices is this app compatible with?

The description does not specify exact device compatibility, but it is designed for mobile use. Users can typically find it on app stores for iOS and Android devices.

### How can I personalize my news experience?

You can personalize your news feed by favoring topics that matter to you. The app also allows you to search for specific articles, videos, and games, and bookmark articles to read later. It supports both dark and light modes for reading.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 11.1.18 — 2026-09-08

This hotfix addresses background issues with analytics event tracking and privacy prompt handling, plus improves how app installs are recorded.

### 11.1.17 — 2026-08-13

• Support for blockquotes on articles
• Adds support for article list HTML links 
• Push notification permission request delayed to News tab
• Other minor bug fixes and performance improvements

### 11.1.15 — 2026-07-08

Adds support for Edition banner ads

### 11.1.13 — 2026-06-18

• Video enhancements including support as lead media on article pages and vertical video display
• Enabled app store rating prompts
• Support for iOS 26
• Improved Welcome screen (optimized copy and new image)
• Improved support for BeOp poll embeds
• Improved support for inline vertical images
• Updated article byline to remove the word “to”
• Added publication nameplate to Edition front pages
• Updated ‘Manage Subscription’ button in account settings to read ‘Manage In-App Purchases’
• Other bug fixes and performance enhancements

### 11.1.1 — 2026-03-04

We designed this app with you in mind — making it easier than ever to read, explore and stay connected every day.
What’s new:
• Fresh new look: A complete redesign with a clean, modern feel.
• For You Page: A personalized feed that brings the topics you love most straight to the top.
• Key Takeaways: Article summaries to help you catch the most important points at a glance.
• Dark mode: Easy on the eyes, day or night.

## Apps similar to Island Packet News Hilton Head

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Greenville News](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/greenville-news/id513921905) | 4.3 (981) | Free | News |
| [WTOC 11 News](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wtoc-11-news/id449970380) | 4.6 (2,758) | Free | News |
| [Bluffton Today](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bluffton-today/id1444812901) | 4.5 (19) | Free | News |
| [WSAV NOW](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wsav-now/id389665192) | 4.7 (2,643) | Free | News |
| [Miami Herald News \| Local FL](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/miami-herald-news-local-fl/id366466705) | 4.0 (2,343) | Free | News |
| [WJCL- Savannah](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wjcl-savannah/id411765359) | 4.6 (993) | Free | News |

## More apps by The McClatchy Company

- [Sacramento Bee News California](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sacramento-bee-news-california/id382902278)
- [Lexington Herald-Leader \| News](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lexington-herald-leader-news/id389701575)
- [Fort Worth Star-Telegram News](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fort-worth-star-telegram-news/id389708740)
- [Idaho Statesman: Boise ID News](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idaho-statesman-boise-id-news/id390819220)
- [The Olympian: Olympia WA News](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-olympian-olympia-wa-news/id391027211)
- [The Wichita Eagle \| Local News](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-wichita-eagle-local-news/id393190450)

All apps by The McClatchy Company: https://appshunter.io/developer/382902281

## Related topics

[hilton head island](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/hilton-head-island) · [my beaufort county](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/my-beaufort-county) · [hilton head island compass](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/hilton-head-island-compass) · [beaufort county sc](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/beaufort-county-sc) · [south carolina hub](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/south-carolina-hub) · [south carolina news](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/south-carolina-news)

---

*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-10.*