Review Insights · App Store
NHK WORLD-JAPAN
NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) · 503 ratings · ★ 3.8
3.8
★★★★★
503 ratings
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Top complaints - extracted from 53 negative reviews
Recurring phrases mined from 1-2★ reviews. The bigger the percentage, the more users have the same problem. Fix the top 2-3 in your version and you have product-market fit on day one.
1
"update"
13 negative reviews mention this · 25% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Removed casting functionality in update 9.0.1. I really used to love the app and all the programming it provided, but since they removed built-in casting functionality, the app has become pretty much useless. By removing that feature in a video player app, they pretty much removed most …" - Everynicknameistaken4769
2
"programs"
12 negative reviews mention this · 23% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Used to be great. Cannot connect to Chromecast. Enjoy programs but since the last upgrade none of the programs can connect to Chromecast. I read discussions about it online but NHK does not seem to acknowledge that it is a bug. Please look into." - machinojyo
3
"longer"
10 negative reviews mention this · 19% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Can no longer set program alerts?!?. This app has gotten so bad with recent updates. Can no long play replayed videos from Luve tab, you must search for them in the Shows tab. Just very very poor changes lately. Can’t set alarm for when a show starts in latest versions (>9.…" - gamer1408
4
"watch"
10 negative reviews mention this · 19% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Can no longer set program alerts?!?. This app has gotten so bad with recent updates. Can no long play replayed videos from Luve tab, you must search for them in the Shows tab. Just very very poor changes lately. Can’t set alarm for when a show starts in latest versions (>9.…" - gamer1408
5
"live"
10 negative reviews mention this · 19% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Can no longer set program alerts?!?. This app has gotten so bad with recent updates. Can no long play replayed videos from Luve tab, you must search for them in the Shows tab. Just very very poor changes lately. Can’t set alarm for when a show starts in latest versions (>9.…" - gamer1408
6
"love"
9 negative reviews mention this · 17% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Anti foreigner sentiment - nonstop. Almost every single article/story is about how much Japanese and NHK dislike foreigners. It seems very odd considering the whole app is targeting foreigners. Is your purpose to get us to download your app so we can feel bad and feel afraid …" - User who cares a lot
7
"cast"
9 negative reviews mention this · 17% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Removed casting functionality in update 9.0.1. I really used to love the app and all the programming it provided, but since they removed built-in casting functionality, the app has become pretty much useless. By removing that feature in a video player app, they pretty much removed most …" - Everynicknameistaken4769
8
"demand"
8 negative reviews mention this · 15% of all complaints
★★★★★ "NHK Has Wrecked a Good App. Update Sept 2022. App will no longer play any content, live or on demand. “Cannot access…blah blah blah”. Prior to the update mid Nov 2019, the Broadcast schedule for the day could easily be accessed, recent programs were a simple swipe awa…" - blpdxor
9
"shows"
7 negative reviews mention this · 13% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Can no longer set program alerts?!?. This app has gotten so bad with recent updates. Can no long play replayed videos from Luve tab, you must search for them in the Shows tab. Just very very poor changes lately. Can’t set alarm for when a show starts in latest versions (>9.…" - gamer1408
10
"cannot"
7 negative reviews mention this · 13% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Can no longer set program alerts?!?. This app has gotten so bad with recent updates. Can no long play replayed videos from Luve tab, you must search for them in the Shows tab. Just very very poor changes lately. Can’t set alarm for when a show starts in latest versions (>9.…" - gamer1408
11
"news"
7 negative reviews mention this · 13% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Can no longer set program alerts?!?. This app has gotten so bad with recent updates. Can no long play replayed videos from Luve tab, you must search for them in the Shows tab. Just very very poor changes lately. Can’t set alarm for when a show starts in latest versions (>9.…" - gamer1408
12
"program"
6 negative reviews mention this · 11% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Removed casting functionality in update 9.0.1. I really used to love the app and all the programming it provided, but since they removed built-in casting functionality, the app has become pretty much useless. By removing that feature in a video player app, they pretty much removed most …" - Everynicknameistaken4769
📋 All 53 negative reviews
Every 1-2★ review we fetched. Use the copy button to grab them all for your own analysis (paste into ChatGPT/Claude with a prompt like "summarize core user problems, group by theme, ignore bugs, focus on missing features").
Suggestion
Can Japanese be offered as one of the languages?
Anti foreigner sentiment - nonstop
Almost every single article/story is about how much Japanese and NHK dislike foreigners. It seems very odd considering the whole app is targeting foreigners. Is your purpose to get us to download your app so we can feel bad and feel afraid and leave Japan? Never to return?
One article will be about how foreigner workers are not welcome and how much trouble we cause. The next story will be about Japanese employment and worker crisis due to lack of skilled workers and low rates of birth. Do you not see the hypocrisy?
In my opinion, NHK are acting as mouthpiece for a very dark side of Japan which is not reality. The truth is Japanese people are overwhelmingly lovely and this negativity demonstrated by NHK is not representative of real life in Japan.
One article will be about how foreigner workers are not welcome and how much trouble we cause. The next story will be about Japanese employment and worker crisis due to lack of skilled workers and low rates of birth. Do you not see the hypocrisy?
In my opinion, NHK are acting as mouthpiece for a very dark side of Japan which is not reality. The truth is Japanese people are overwhelmingly lovely and this negativity demonstrated by NHK is not representative of real life in Japan.
Removed casting functionality in update 9.0.1
I really used to love the app and all the programming it provided, but since they removed built-in casting functionality, the app has become pretty much useless. By removing that feature in a video player app, they pretty much removed most of the value from the entire app… unless you like looking at stuff on a tiny screen constantly. Wildly stupid move.
No More Japanology+
Japanology+ and Begin Japanology are the best products produced by NHK World-Japan. They’ve all been scrubbed from YouTube and the NHK World website. Now you can only find climate change alarmism propaganda… the opposite of what NHK world once was.
Can no longer set program alerts?!?
This app has gotten so bad with recent updates. Can no long play replayed videos from Luve tab, you must search for them in the Shows tab. Just very very poor changes lately.
Can’t set alarm for when a show starts in latest versions (>9.0.0). UPDATE: I have been informed by NHK that “alarms have been discontinued”… what a great way to kill viewership. And now play button/icon is missing from shows, so now you cannot tell if a show is first run or a repeat. Or if ahows are available to watch VOD. You have to explicitly look and search in Shows to see what’s available. Their logic for this dumbfounds me. I suspect those wanting casting are also out of luck and also suspect these changes are leading up to the app being discontinued in the near future, roku app is now gone. Very, very strange changes indeed. NHK should just use YouTube for all their live and archived content (not just the news) and forgo the app.
Can’t set alarm for when a show starts in latest versions (>9.0.0). UPDATE: I have been informed by NHK that “alarms have been discontinued”… what a great way to kill viewership. And now play button/icon is missing from shows, so now you cannot tell if a show is first run or a repeat. Or if ahows are available to watch VOD. You have to explicitly look and search in Shows to see what’s available. Their logic for this dumbfounds me. I suspect those wanting casting are also out of luck and also suspect these changes are leading up to the app being discontinued in the near future, roku app is now gone. Very, very strange changes indeed. NHK should just use YouTube for all their live and archived content (not just the news) and forgo the app.
They took away functionality
Please allow us to cast to our smart TV. Why did you take that function away? I know there’s a native Google TV app but I like the option to cast the live stream to a TV that doesn’t have the app installed.
Chromecast not working
i LOVE NHK World but cannot use the app to cast anymore. the icon for chromecast is there. then can connect. but none of your shows have the icon to actually cast a show
PLEASE FIX
PLEASE FIX
Stream
Cannot stream to tv. Unsatisfactory.
Forced subtitles?!?
The app ignores system-settings for auto subtitles.
The app has no Settings to configure subtitles.
The app uses a non-standard video player that has no controls for subtitles.
Subtitles aren't even in the correct location. It just places a big text box at the top of the video instead of putting subtitles at the bottom/center.
The app says it uses AI to auto-translate subtitles, but it displays English text in English-only videos, so it's clearly not translating anything.
HOW do you turn subtitles off?
The app has no Settings to configure subtitles.
The app uses a non-standard video player that has no controls for subtitles.
Subtitles aren't even in the correct location. It just places a big text box at the top of the video instead of putting subtitles at the bottom/center.
The app says it uses AI to auto-translate subtitles, but it displays English text in English-only videos, so it's clearly not translating anything.
HOW do you turn subtitles off?
Cannot connect to server
Doesn't work on my iPhone 13.
I also don't like the forced AI caption translation in the app on my TV. There's no way to turn it off. It's annoying.
I also don't like the forced AI caption translation in the app on my TV. There's no way to turn it off. It's annoying.
No longer compatible with older devices/iPhones.
Used to work fine. No longer works with older device,(iPhone 6)
even after using older app offered.
Specific errors are:
“Can not connect to the server.”
even after using older app offered.
Specific errors are:
“Can not connect to the server.”
I used to love it
With the latest update it will not connect to the server so I can’t watch anything on this app. I love the tv channel.
Update
Forced downgrade. For my old phone the app won’t work at all, can’t even use an older version.
For my new phone, it’s been buffering for a long time now.
Equals delete app
For my new phone, it’s been buffering for a long time now.
Equals delete app
NHK Has Wrecked a Good App
Update Sept 2022. App will no longer play any content, live or on demand. “Cannot access…blah blah blah”. Prior to the update mid Nov 2019, the Broadcast schedule for the day could easily be accessed, recent programs were a simple swipe away, as were all programs. There were collections of programs around topics, such as Green tea. Now, you can’t even tell what live program you are watching, let alone what comes on in the next few hours. Who did they test this on, the app design team after they went out drinking?
Not compatible with iOS 15! Fix it!
I’m always suspicious of software with a high rating and one review was posted *two* years ago. This app was updated *four* months ago. Y’all need to at least upgrade when YouTube review new operating systems. Your pictures are “all sizzle and no sneak”, or “all hat, no cattle.” Hiring freeze? No Bueno. Am I wrong but can’t software be coded and upgraded anywhere? Can’t updates be done tested and uploaded remotely? Sigh. You just lost a customer. Hire Fiverr!
A good program it used to be, now: mediocre
GRAND SUMO
App problem
The app is not working on my phone. Somebody please help me. I love NHK radio so much.
Very frustrating
The programs are interesting but the app freezes very often and stays frozen even after you restart Apple TV
Women voice TOO LOW
On some programs the woman doing interpreting into English has a low mellow voice but therefore it’s hard to understand what she’s saying. In programs such as “Where We Call Home”, and others like it.
Most biased reporting I have ever seen.
Makes CNN, Fox, MSNBC look like moderates.
Negative 5 Stars -5*
Worse app ever!
Jumbled mess, like cat puke everywhere!
Jumbled mess, like cat puke everywhere!
Apple TV app doesn’t work, no way to contact dev
The Apple TV app freezes the stream after a few minutes...my connection is 60 Mbps and all other apps work fine. There is no way to contact NHK’s developer about the app, the NHK site contact form is only for comments about programs. There is no way to specifically review an Apple TV app (the iOS apps work fine).
Where are all the shows??
I used to religiously watch the NHK channel on my cable service everyday. Having recently given up cable, I immediately downloaded the app. Very disappointed! Where are all the amazing documentaries and informative programs??
This app only offers news stories. Please give us access to ALL of NHK’s contact.
This app only offers news stories. Please give us access to ALL of NHK’s contact.
Fix this broken app please
The on demand contents no longer available
App has become useless
Used to love the app. News and such was a bonus. Primary reason was for earthquake alerts. Now suddenly it says I need to enable push notifications in phone settings. Yet NHK doesn’t show up in notification settings to enable it. My daughter lives in Japan and this was the main way to keep up with earthquakes. Not sure what to do now. Great work in breaking your own app
Not working
Since the update/refresh, the app regularly crashes. I can’t use it. It also deleted all of my saved settings. :/
Fix the chrome cast issue please
I can no longer chrome cast the on demand section. To my tv. Please bring this back! I feel like it’s an error
Video OnDemand Casting Broken
New update doesnt allow for Video On Demand to be chromecasted. Is this by design? I hope not
The redesign killed usability
If you use this app primarily for the news section, you’re probably fine, but it can’t remember anymore whether I want it to default to news, live video, or VOD, and it gave ZERO help in finding the latter two. I actually had to start asking around online to find the VOD section again. The news section also just looks like its opening the NHK World homepage. You may we well use Safari and not have the extra junk around the edges of the screen.
Bad update, would revert if I could.
Bad update, would revert if I could.
Used to be great.
Before you could open the app and it would auto play. Now? Nope. Gonna miss watching nhk.
Newest version is useless, refers to website
The newest version of the app is useless. No more live TV, no more on demand programs. Just a link to go to the website. Do not bother installing this app
App for iPad
To whom it may concern¡ i live in USA and i always watch NHK TV and in my iPad, but i do not like the last version in the iPad, i loved last version for iPad i could see the program tv, browse and look for an specific that i like, but in this case i can not do it anymore.
good but
why no Japanese?
Killed chromecast?
Ver 9.0 killed Chromecast support for some reason and I used the app to watch on my tv all the time. Otherwise, could use a dark mode too
Used to be great. Cannot connect to Chromecast
Enjoy programs but since the last upgrade none of the programs can connect to Chromecast. I read discussions about it online but NHK does not seem to acknowledge that it is a bug. Please look into.
No Screen Cast
With latest update, we don’t see option for screen cast, very bad.
BRING BACK SCREENCAST PLEASE
Title
No Chromecast from phone -huge backward step
NHK made the decision to eliminate the ability to cast from my phone, a function I’ve used repeatedly while travelling. Please bring back Chromecast ability. This new app does NOT have “minor improvements” only a major drawback
Alas, No More Chromecast
Have enjoyed NHK for many years, broadcast and streaming. However this most recent update has removed the ability to cast via Chromecast, which is extremely disappointing!!! Thankfully, there are ways to work around this without using the app but still, the former iteration of the app was just more convenient.
Why is there no dark mode?
All iOS app developers should implement a dark mode for their apps.
It's become a standard expectation for several
compelling reasons:
Reduced Eye Strain:
Especially in low-light environments, dark mode minimizes glare and blue light exposure, making it more comfortable to use apps for extended periods.
This is a significant benefit for users who frequently use their devices at night or in dim settings.
Battery Saving:
For devices with OLED or
AMOLED screens (like many modern iPhones), dark mode can significantly conserve battery life.
Consistency with System Settings:
iOS offers a system-wide dark mode.
Users expect apps to respect this setting and seamlessly adapt their appearance.
An app that doesn't support dark mode can feel jarring and inconsistent with the rest of the user's device experience.
Dark mode is not just a trend; it's a valuable feature that enhances user experience, improves accessibility, and aligns with modern operating system design principles.
Get with the program, NHK.
Everyone else has.
It's become a standard expectation for several
compelling reasons:
Reduced Eye Strain:
Especially in low-light environments, dark mode minimizes glare and blue light exposure, making it more comfortable to use apps for extended periods.
This is a significant benefit for users who frequently use their devices at night or in dim settings.
Battery Saving:
For devices with OLED or
AMOLED screens (like many modern iPhones), dark mode can significantly conserve battery life.
Consistency with System Settings:
iOS offers a system-wide dark mode.
Users expect apps to respect this setting and seamlessly adapt their appearance.
An app that doesn't support dark mode can feel jarring and inconsistent with the rest of the user's device experience.
Dark mode is not just a trend; it's a valuable feature that enhances user experience, improves accessibility, and aligns with modern operating system design principles.
Get with the program, NHK.
Everyone else has.
Good but…
I have barely used this app for years (will explain further down). Now that I live in Japan, I don’t use it at all and I do not a speak Japanese yet. The main problem, it is entirely too bright. I use dark mode and for whatever reason, NHK refuses to add that feature. I used to use it only on bright, sunny days, which were not so common where I lived in the U.S. Now I have NHK News in English from the free broadcast signal in Tokyo so there is no reason to burn my retinas by viewing their app. Even though I prefer reading articles than watching a news program. Please fix your app.
Sound issues on Apple TV
I cannot connect this app to airplay on my Apple TV. It is the only app that I have that has this issue. Please fix it! I would love to watch nhk programs on my Apple TV.
Subtitles
Love this network however, after downloading it on my new Apple TV there is NO way to turn off the subtitles, which are annoying and lag like you wouldn't believe! I can appreciate the fact that subs are provided, but update the app on Apple TV please to allow your viewers the option to turn them off!
Disappointing these last several months
NHK is first and foremost a new channel. For the most part 30 minutes of each hour is dedicating news. It gets very repetitive and the news is obviously left biased. Since the COVID outbreak most of the news is dedicated to that. Many of the news short features are recycled from news of previous weeks and months.
The rest of the programming is interesting. The travel programs in particular are great to watch. Medical Frontiers is another great show.
Many of the shows suffer from over eager hosts who are distracting from the subject at hand. It’s too bad.
One show in particular, Science View has fantastic subject matter but the way the dialogue is scripted turns the experience negative. I wonder if the hosts are reading off cue cards or are in separate locations ? It’s very distracting.
Despite my negativity, it’s worth a download and try it for yourself.
The rest of the programming is interesting. The travel programs in particular are great to watch. Medical Frontiers is another great show.
Many of the shows suffer from over eager hosts who are distracting from the subject at hand. It’s too bad.
One show in particular, Science View has fantastic subject matter but the way the dialogue is scripted turns the experience negative. I wonder if the hosts are reading off cue cards or are in separate locations ? It’s very distracting.
Despite my negativity, it’s worth a download and try it for yourself.
push notifications
they have stopped, please fix
Why Japanese is not an option???
Japanese does not seem to be one of the 17 language options...????? Am I missing something?
Suddenly I can’t seem to find shows
I recently updated this and suddenly I can’t find most on-demand content. Either it’s gone or it’s been organized into a corner so dark that I haven’t been able to locate. I’m thinking it’s probably no longer worth it, and I’ll just watch shows in the browser.
You can no longer cast On Demand programs to tv from the app
After the recent overhaul, you can only cast the Live feed to TVs. But There is WAY too much news on the Live feed, so it would be nice to be able to cast On Demand programs again.
Complete app redesign made the app kind of useless
New fancy interface - somehow, I’m hoping not by design, removed the ability to google cast VOD to an android TV. This along with no longer supporting android tv apps makes it impossible for me to watch shows on the TV. Fingers crossed it was just a bug because I love NHK documentaries.
Upgrade REMOVED useful functionality
Surprised and disappointed that NHK could less user experience. Specifically, removal of default Live TV. Secondly, Inability to screen record clips of programming in iOS (which I share with friends family to introduce NHK quality standards). At minimum, please allow users to set ‘default’ view to Live TV in settings
+ 3 more in the clipboard copy
Sentiment summary
66%
Positive (4-5★)
12%
Neutral (3★)
22%
Negative (1-2★)