Apple has announced the launch of Apple News+ Food, a new feature that will allow users to search, discover, save, and cook recipes from dozens of publishing partners. The feature will be available to Apple News+ subscribers as part of iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, rolling out in April in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia.

Unlike standalone recipe apps that can import content from all over the web, Apple News+ Food will focus solely on recipes offered by Apple News+ publishers. At launch, Apple aims to have over 30 publishers on board, including well-known brands like Allrecipes, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, and more. This will provide users with access to tens of thousands of recipes.

The new experience allows Apple's publishing partners to get their content in front of more consumers, which is particularly significant given Google's declining ability to refer direct traffic to their websites. iPhone and iPad users will be able to find a new Food section by scrolling down in the Apple News app's Today feed, where they'll discover a featured recipe, curated by Apple's editorial team, followed by a collection of food and dining-related stories, a broader recipe collection, and links to the Food+ recipe catalog and their own saved recipes.

Select food stories and recipes will also be available for users who do not subscribe to Apple News+. The Apple News+ Food subscription service can be accessed in multiple ways, including through the "More food" link from the Food section in the app's Today tab or by tapping on the link to "Food" from the Following tab.

In the Food+ section, users will see the featured recipe, which is updated daily, alongside an expanded set of recommended stories related to their interests. The personalization improves the more users engage with the app. Other curated sections include those that link to saved recipes or other types of recipe collections, such as those from certain publishers, popular recipes, or those focused on specific themes like healthy eating or weeknight chicken dinners.

As users browse recipes, they can choose to save the recipe directly to the News app for later reference. The recipes themselves are formatted to be clutter- and ad-free, making for an easy-to-read experience. Key information, including ingredients, steps, description, cooking time, servings, and more, is pulled out and featured in a clear format that highlights a photo of the dish and links back to the publisher's website.

Other convenient features include the ability to tap on an ingredient to see the amount needed without having to scroll back to the ingredients list, and the option to tap on the cooking time in the recipe's instructions to automatically start a timer on your iPhone or iPad. A dedicated cooking mode is also available, which displays the recipe in full screen with larger text, allowing users to follow instructions with minimal tapping and scrolling. In this mode, the screen will stay on, even if your device is normally set to turn off the screen after a period of time.

One notable limitation of Apple News+ Food is the inability to add your own recipes or those saved from elsewhere on the web, as well as any tools to import or export recipes to and from other apps. Additionally, users cannot save recipes directly from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, where many home chefs often discover new recipes.

The launch of Apple News+ Food marks another move by the tech giant to expand its presence in the mobile app ecosystem, where it competes with third-party developers. Unlike independent developers, Apple can afford to launch new apps that don't have to be supported by a business model other than continued iPhone sales, putting smaller and indie developers at a distinct disadvantage.

It's worth noting that publishers weren't additionally compensated for their recipes, with the experience being an extension of Apple's existing relationship with its partners. Apple generates revenue by selling ads within the publishers' articles for a 30% cut of sales.

The Apple News+ subscription, which includes access to over 400 magazines, newspapers, and digital publishers, is priced at $12.99 per month in the U.S., £12.99 in the UK, $16.99 in Canada, and $19.99 in Australia.