# The Charlotte Observer NC News — user reviews > 116 indexed App Store user reviews of The Charlotte Observer NC News by The McClatchy Company, rated 4.30/5 from 3,633 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-charlotte-observer-nc-news/id407850748/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-charlotte-observer-nc-news/id407850748.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 2,335 · 4★ 741 · 3★ 162 · 2★ 88 · 1★ 307 ## What do users think of The Charlotte Observer NC News? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 👍 Easy to navigate - 🚀 Variety of news content - 🚀 Useful news options **Cons** - 🐛 Crashes frequently - 🐛 Unstable app updates - 🔋 Poor performance on older devices - 💸 Frustrating subscription issues - 🙄 Intrusive ads **Commonly reported bugs** - Login issues - Sections not loading properly - Blurry/fuzzy content - Compatibility problems with iOS updates **Most requested features** - Bring back previous app version - Improve e-edition reading experience - Add keyboard navigation - Provide offline reading mode ## Newest reviews (12 of 116) ### 3/5 — Improved but still need work *2026-08-11, version 11.1.15* This new version is much better but there are entirely too many add, that load slowly and interfere with reading/scrolling ### 3/5 — Improved but still need work *2026-04-30, version 11.1.1* This new version is much better but there are entirely too many add, that load slowly and interfere with reading/scrolling ### 4/5 — IOS problems *2026-03-31, version 10.4.0* Apple’s planed obsolesce strikes again. My iPad won’t upgrade to IOS17. ### 2/5 — Good intentions, poor execution *2026-03-19, version 10.4.0* So I’m reading the Wednesday edition, push the back button to get the website of a home builder, and the app (without asking), kicks me out of the paper and brings up the update button. So I push the update button, I assume the app updates, but now won’t it let me out of the update screen. Having subscribed to the Observer for more 30 years, this is standard operating procedure for the paper and it’s staff, good intentions, poor execution. And just a personal note, since Ms. Cash has become the Executive Editor of the Observer, it has done a remarkable job of becoming the L.A. Times of NC. Having lived in Southern California for 13 years, it’s not a compliment. ### 2/5 — Format *2026-03-18, version 11.1.1* I don’t like the new format of the paper. I have been reading this paper for years but I am now looking for a different paper. ### 3/5 — Update stinks *2026-03-13, version 10.4.0* Tried to install. Requires iOS 17 on iPad.I can’t upgrade without a computer with iTunes and a cable.Too damn much trouble. A little more research. Neither of my older iPads is update able to iOS 17 so I can no longer access the observer app. How do I request a refund? ### 3/5 — Update stinks *2026-03-05, version 10.4.0* Tried to install. Requires iOS 17 on iPad.I can’t upgrade without a computer with iTunes and a cable.Too damn much trouble. ### 2/5 — Crashing on iPad Air and iPhone *2025-10-27, version 10.3.0* All of a sudden, starting today the apps crash on both devices (ios26). On opening the app, click Editions, then click on the open page at the top. App instantly crashes whereas it never did before. Reinstalled app on both devices. Did not fix. ### 3/5 — Thank You *2025-10-17, version 10.3.0* I appreciate you fixing the app so that all of the pages of the Edition display on my iPad. It would have been nice if the defect had been communicated and was being addressed. That is what is known as good customer service. You all aren’t there yet but thank you for fixing the app. ### 1/5 — Charlotte On The Air Section *2025-08-01, version 10.0.8* This section of the newspaper no longer comes up. This has happened with other online sections of the newspaper and was corrected. This is very frustrating. The newspaper is not great to start with. Stories are repeated regularly to make the newspaper look more complete. You pay good money for a sub-par product. ### 1/5 — Downhill *2025-06-23, version 10.0.8* We pay for the newspaper to read the news. Not to fill out surveys. How about just sticking to being an online newspaper. ### 1/5 — Skips pages *2025-02-14, version 10.0.6* Agree with others that a significant number of pages are skipped with a spinning ball. I sent emails to customer service about this in the middle of last year and never got a response. So much for really caring about the customer… ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Articles aren’t loading *2026-08-30, version 11.1.17* I can only access articles on a smartphone. Laptops aren’t working. IT no help. ### 1/5 — Ridiculous *2026-06-22, version 11.1.1* The Observer online edition is an embarrassment of redundant postings ( e.g., as recently as May of 2026, the lead story in the Weather section warned of an impending storm due to hit the Carolina coast —- news from the prior September!) and hard to navigate sections. ### 1/5 — Ughh *2026-04-24, version 11.1.1* Customer Service does not exist. Poor communication and more than 1 active account at 1 time(???) Oh, and the glitchy app! ### 1/5 — Sucks *2026-04-21, version 11.1.1* McClatchy news can eat dicks ### 1/5 — awkward website navigation *2026-04-16, version 11.1.1* Although I appreciate and enjoy reading the OBSERVATION, its site is difficult to maneuver online. I subscribe to several other publications which are easy to navigate. ### 1/5 — I hate this new paper *2026-03-27, version 11.1.1* Thumbs down ### 1/5 — New version doesn’t work without a new iPad *2026-03-18, version 11.1.1* The latest version no longer works with my iPad. It requires a newer version of iOS that my iPad doesn’t support. I’m not buying a new iPad just to read the Observer. I need to cancel my subscription. ### 1/5 — Cannot update *2026-03-08, version 10.4.0* The new app is no longer compatible with my iPad. Tried to get a refund for my yearly subscription but was told they don’t provide refunds. They also do not do home delivery so there is no way for me to get the Observer. After 32 years of being a loyal customer this is how you are treated. ### 1/5 — Upgrade forcing people to buy a new iPad *2026-03-07, version 10.4.0* Latest app upgrade will not let me run older versions on my iPad. This poor app, loaded with ads and pop ups which is close to unusable on older technology, just got worse. Trying to read on Safari is just as bad I am going to cancel the subscription if this doesn’t get fixed. ### 1/5 — Corporate Greed *2026-03-05, version 11.1.1* This app requires you to update your OS, and if you can’t you are shut out of the newspaper. They say it is enhanced for the subscribers, but they only enhanced it for themselves! ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Excellent Coverage for Local News *2026-07-29, version 11.1.15* Our Charlotte Observer brings local happenings of importance to the wider community. Reporting is current and related in clear language. Our city needs a newspaper that reports what is going on as soon as possible. The Observer does it and has done it for years. ### 5/5 — Convenient *2026-07-14, version 11.1.15* This news is extremely convenient. It has articles that you don’t hear on the news. It’s more in depth and more thorough and more pharaoh. More Farrell ### 5/5 — We need local independent news *2026-04-19, version 11.1.1* Despite all of its challenges over the years, the Observer still maintains its integrity and independence. If we want to keep having newspapers, we must keep subscribing. ### 5/5 — Observer perspective wide and clear *2026-04-15, version 11.1.1* I appreciate the total coverage and the clear, direct, factual style. The articles are interesting, filled with information and well-done writing and reporting. I read it every day! ### 5/5 — Much better user experience *2026-03-20, version 11.1.1* Vastly improved ### 5/5 — Not as good. Fixed what wasn’t broken *2025-10-18, version 10.3.0* Not happy with new updates. Weather tab NEVER opens and now when I click to open paper the entire paper disappears and my iPad is back to Home Screen. Frustrating…. ### 5/5 — Fix worked. Thanks *2025-03-06, version 10.0.7* Thanks for fixing the spinning ball problem which prevented pages from loading. This seems to have fixed it. ### 5/5 — Articles don’t come up *2025-03-03, version 10.0.6* I only get about 2/3 of the entire paper. Articles not coming up. Very frustrating! I’m not sure why I’m paying for this publication ### 5/5 — Thank you! Update! *2022-07-21, version 9.1.6* The new app looks incredible! The layout, the colors, excellent. Us old folks that have IPhone 8 running iOS 15.5 still can’t load the feed. But it’s all good! Thank You for all that you do! Thank you for the new update! Apple’s Private Relay(Beta)Fix! I appreciate you!!! ### 5/5 — Delighted *2021-09-09, version 9.1.3* I’m delighted with navigation on this app as well as the content provided. I moved to Charlotte last month and subscribed to CO this past week. I’m pleased with the local, state, national and international news coverage that’s provided plus the extra sports coverage - NFL, college, PGA and more. --- *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 2026-09-04.*