I rely on The Times through the iPhone and iPad apps for reporting that cuts through the brawling styles and personality cults displayed by many formerly respected newspapers in the socially fragmented, partially woke and yet stupidly wealthy country where I live. The Times iOS apps do a simple job well: Get out of the way, so that the thoughtful, informative work of The Times’ reporters and editors can shine. The subscription price is very fair. The app category list count, design details and typography scale appropriately across larger and smaller screens. The lack of oppressive inline videos and annoying adverts feels like a treasured oasis of Times content, compared to the brain-melting advertising glare at many other news media outlets. These apps extend the reputation and persuasive strength of The Times across the Internet, a bit like a Royal Navy of the mind.

If you live in the U.S., and want World Class news coverage and commentary, AND have tired (as had I) of nauseatingly biased reporting by the New York Times (I had read religiously for 60 years!), you now have a superb option with the digital or Kindle versions of the Times of London and the Sunday Times. You can expect voluminous yet insightful coverage of world events, including important events in the U.S., unparalleled writing, humor, and, while being sensitive, a refusal to bow down to slavish political correctness. It’s a regular part of my day and I’m loving it.

Even as an American, this was my go to news source for two years as it allowed me to skip past the annoying day-to-day political annoyances of the U.S. and read news pieces that were not simply clickbait. This changed a few weeks ago when the app introduced annoying ads that require you to drag the text above or below (dragging the ad does not move the article along), a task made more difficult by ads that are nearly the height of my screen. Additionally, even with my ringer turned off, some ads play annoying music that completely destroys my trust in being able to discretely read the news. I’m especially bothered because I’m paying for the subscription; I should not have to contend with annoying ads in a payware app.