# What Hi-Fi? — user reviews > 57 indexed App Store user reviews of What Hi by Future plc, rated 4.60/5 from 98 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/what-hi-fi/id496516601/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/what-hi-fi/id496516601.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 78 · 4★ 12 · 3★ 3 · 2★ 2 · 1★ 3 ## What do users think of What Hi? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 👍 Magazine content is good - 👍 App works fine now (for some) - 👍 Electronic version cheaper than print **Cons** - 🐛 App frequently crashes - 🐛 Unable to download editions - 🐛 Cannot log in to account - 🐛 Paid for issues disappear - 🐛 Subscription not recognized - 🐛 Poor rendering of articles - 🐛 Text difficult to read - 🐛 App is expensive - 🐛 Customer support unresponsive - 🐛 App is a PDF copy - 🐛 Lacks interactive features - 🐛 Old issues not free - 🐛 App is a "half-hearted exercise" - 🐛 Search function not working - 🐛 App is confusing - 🐛 Library keeps resetting - 🐛 Login issues after updates - 🐛 Restore purchase option missing - 🐛 Privacy policy overlaps button **Commonly reported bugs** - Unable to download editions - Cannot log in to account - Paid for issues disappear - Subscription not recognized - App crashes frequently - Poor rendering of news articles - Blank areas in news articles - Previous editions not visible - Cannot restore purchases - Login issues after updates - Restore subscription button overlapped by privacy policy - App keeps removing library - App defaults to subscribe - New issues not appearing on app - App won't scroll past page 99 - Double tapping zoom window too small - Search function not working for headphones - App is a PDF of the magazine - App screws up page orientation - App is not retina-ready **Most requested features** - Make older issues free - Offer free trial section - Add video content or app-only exclusives - Improve text readability and zoom functionality - Make app interactive, not just PDF - Allow access to previous issues after cancellation - Improve search functionality - Fix app orientation issues ## Newest reviews (13 of 57) ### 1/5 — August 2018 *2018-07-13, version 4.0* Been on the newsagents shelves for over a week, but still not available in the App? ### 1/5 — Latest issue does not show in the store *2018-07-08, version 4.0* Despite announcement on website of the new August issue available, 4 days later it is still not on the App Store ### 1/5 — Very Disappointed *2017-12-17* Bought one issue to try out the app and the two page magazine only fills 2/3 of my iPad Pro display, making it hard to read the text. Double tapping to zoom produces a zoom window 1/2 the size of the display requiring constant panning to read the text and, to cap it all, the app won't scroll past page 99! Thank goodness I didn't purchase a subscription. ### 1/5 — What Hi Fi S & V Subscriber for 10+ Years *2017-08-27, version 4.0* Search wireless headphones? No results?? Really? OK maybe glitch. So tried headphones? No results… Again? I'm pretty sure the magazine has had numerous reviews & features on the very rare headphones and the endangered version "wireless headphones". Come on WHFSV. Is this best you can do? Deleted. Back to the www… ### 1/5 — Update is bad *2016-06-05, version 3.6.1* I bought the latest and they no longer have a full list and comparison just their top 5. Won't be buying again. ### 1/5 — Magazine won't download *2015-05-07, version 3.3.0* Just purchased the latest magazine but it fails to download. Waste of time. ### 2/5 — Good mag but HOW much???? *2014-05-02, version 3.1.6* £4 per mag, same as the printed version, even though the cost of hosting it on a server must be a tiny fraction of the cost of printing and distributing the physical magazine. Haymarket are having a laugh. ### 1/5 — Reviews written by the deaf and hard of hearing *2013-12-13, version 3.1.4* All gloss and no substance whatsoever, it's a shame because What HiFi used to be quite good. ### 1/5 — Does Nothing But CRASH!!!!! *2013-08-05, version 2.5.8* I'm a subscriber! I agree with others though the cost is TOO high and I am reconsidering my subscription... As for the latest 'Bug Fix Update' mine does nothing but CRASH now! Please sort this ASAP! ### 1/5 — Is this a joke? *2013-08-03, version 2.5.8* Extremely disappointed. Love the mag, cannot believe it is so expensive for digi version. Look elsewhere. ### 1/5 — WAY TOO EXPENSIVE *2013-05-22, version 2.5.8* As above. And due to the above you must be making money on this - update for iPhone 5!! Jeez.... ### 1/5 — too expensive! *2013-05-09, version 2.5.8* £35! are you having a laugh. You guys need to check the competition, a 12month sub should £25 max! ### 1/5 — Disappointing *2013-04-03* Once installed I then had great difficulty downloading the latest edition. Although my iPad was a little full (only 3GB free), I deleted about 1GB worth of photos and tried again. This time it worked but the available free space only decreased by 0.2GB. I've no idea what was going on. Why it made me create a login I don't know, and it also asks for your age! You could lie I suppose! With the mag visible at last I found that the text was not large enough for me to read comfortably (following a double-tap). I suffer from mild dry AMD (look it up!) and have found that a high res display makes it much easier. However, this app doesn't make use of the retina display and so was very fuzzy. I also couldn't zoom in any more without letting go as it just pinged back. You should be able to resize to any desired size and leave it there. As it is a pdf, text should then still be pin sharp but it isn't. It is just an unpleasant blur. As for the content itself, it's excellent as always. There are lots daft comments here on it being vastly overpriced as if the only cost of a mag is the printing and distribution! Do these people not realise that there is a whole team who work on these mags, not to mention computers etc. They can hardly give it away free!! However, due to the poor quality of the app itself I certainly won't take out a sub until they have improved it to the point where it matches the other mags I download. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Won’t even download a single edition *2023-12-15* Just installed on the iPad and spent an hour attempting to unsuccessfully download the latest edition. Meanwhile other comparable magazines don’t have their own app and work just fine in Apple News. ### 1/5 — KEEP WELL AWAY FROM THIS APP! *2021-02-15* Worst app I have ever had the misfortune of installing on my iPad. Unable to log in after 3 months of subscribing. Contacted customer support, got answers to questions I never asked, got lied to on the telephone from customer support, and also, the odd email I get from them repeatedly asks me to describe the problem I’m having. You really are a complete useless bunch of retards at magazines direct! Contacted credit card with relevant information as I’m paying for a service that isn’t being provided, so want my money back. Just look at the more recent reviews of this app, (something I wish I had done before subscribing.) KEEP WELL AWAY FROM THIS APP! ### 1/5 — Awful update *2019-09-27* As with other users, I can’t see any previous editions I have paid for and I can’t even use my account to log in to see new additions. ### 1/5 — New app *2019-06-28* Not working for me, can not see old mags or download new ones without paying when I already have a subscription, emailed support but no reply. ### 1/5 — Not up to date *2019-06-26* A very poor and confused app. Worst magazine app I have used. You send me an Email that there is s new issue but it does not appear on your app. Keeps removing my library, keeps defaulting to subscribe and won’t let me get back to library. So there’s 3 strikes. I recommend your IT guy does not take up baseball. ### 1/5 — App is broken 😕 *2019-06-20* Following the recent update, it is not possible to view any of the editions I have paid for. There is no option to restore purchases. Basically it’s useless. Will now be unsubscribing from the digital edition. ### 1/5 — Useless upgrade *2019-06-17* After updating app all previous titles purchased have disappeared with no option to restore. Please fix! ### 1/5 — Apple app broken again *2019-05-01, version 4.1* Yet again, the app has been updated and it breaks my subscription. Will not allow me to restore my subscription as the restore subscription button is over lapped by the privacy policy ?? ### 1/5 — Doesn’t work *2019-01-13, version 4.1* I subscribed to three month digital version through a magazine site. and four days later, despite opening account and several phone calls, I am still unable to access the magazine. ### 1/5 — Lazy *2018-09-07, version 4.0* This is a really half-hearted box-ticking exercise. I can’t get it to load the September version I’ve subscribed to. Being able to read a magazine is hardly high tech. Lame. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Yamaha *2023-02-07* I have been receiving your magazine for several years now and like it very much but I never see any Yamaha products. I see Denon ,Marantz all the time so what’s the problem with Yamaha. Thanks. ### 5/5 — Problems with subscription *2019-06-13* I subscribe to What HiFi because I like the mag, but I have repeated problems with my subscription not being recognised. The app tells me I need to pay for issues even though subscription tells me I’m already subscribed. Tried contacting support again recently, again no response though the problem disappeared after a few days. (So support gets zero stars for communication.). Same problem has just cropped up again with the new app - problem restoring subscription so I have no access to any issues. I might just give up on the mag & use the web site. ### 5/5 — Excellent *2013-03-09* I've Moved From Magazine To Zinio And Finally This Version - All Excellent And Reliable. For Over 30 Years What Hi Fi Have Helped Me Make My Choices When Buying Hi Fi And TV Gear And I've Never Been Disappointed. First Class. ### 5/5 — Works fine for me *2013-02-17* Was a bit worried about downloading this app because of the poor reviews, but after installing on my iPad2 it works beautifully. I have purchased the mag on and off for over 15 years and this is a nice option to have. This app is very handy if you need to enlarge the text, a double tap and it scales up well and i didn't have any crashes etc. Ok on the thorny subject of price, in the shops its £4.75 here its £3.99 a single issue, now i don't run a publishing company so i can't question their pricing, but maybe they could add video content or app only exclusives to give more perceived value? ### 4/5 — It is Working ok now. *2022-12-08* The app is working fine now, it just would not work last October 22, today all ok. ### 4/5 — A good electronic version *2012-07-18* I'm astonished to read the amount of reviews from people slagging the magazine off because of the subscription fee...! It says in the description how much each mag is, and it's about 40% cheaper than the paper copy! Of course it's not going to be free - who would buy the paper version if it was?!?!?! Daft. Anyway, I'd recommend the electronic version - after years of buying the paper one, reading it, then not knowing what to do with it afterwards (and eventually just putting it with all the other old magazines I can't bring myself to throw away), at least electronically you can store it neatly on your iPad and go back to it when ever you want. If you're not happy with buying 12 months, how about just 1 issue and see how you get on with it! ### 3/5 — Beware if you subscribe.... *2018-10-18* Subscribed to both the print & digital editions. Cancelled my subscription after 2 years. Worked really well for me and found it easy to read. Having paid for the digital edition I expected to still be able to access previous issues after cancelling my subscription to future issues. You lose all access so be aware of this before subscribing. ### 3/5 — Bad to view *2016-12-27* I love the magazine and respect their opinions and have just spent thousands based on them and been very satisfied with their advice. However the app reads very badly with a section of the screen blank. Very annoying, not a comfortable read. Only good for reference purposes. ### 3/5 — It appears to be a Naim fanclub *2013-06-30, version 2.5.8* I have the paper version of this each month. If it is Naim, then it gets a good review. There is a lot more out there. Very selective. ### 2/5 — Poor rendering of news articles (free) *2023-07-28* Frequently can’t get to the end of reading an article as it doesn’t render (blank area in news article) … think it may be related to all the adverts it’s trying to display! Have latest iPhone pro. **Developer response:** Hi Gary, Thanks for letting us know about this. We'll be looking into the news feed to try and fix this issue. It'd be really helpful if you could contact us on apps@futurenet.com and share some screenshots of the problem, which can help us locate and fix the issue, or offer some advice for your specific issue. We hope you are enjoying the rest of the app. All the best. --- *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 2026-08-28.*