Feedly blames software bug for web app slowdown, denies link to AI pivot
The world’s largest standalone RSS reader faces user frustration over sluggish web performance and mobile app failures, with leadership insisting core functionality remains a priority despite strategic shifts toward artificial intelligence.
Feedly has attributed a week-long performance degradation of its web application to a software bug, explicitly denying that the issues stem from its strategic pivot towards artificial intelligence. The company reported that paying users found the web app "unusably slow," while also facing complaints regarding its mobile applications and customer support responsiveness.
CEO Edwin Khodabakchian confirmed that a fix for the web app, linked to the "Mark as Read" function on accounts with numerous folders, was released on Friday. However, the company is still confirming whether this patch has fully resolved the problem for all users. Khodabakchian stated that despite the company’s shift towards cyber threat intelligence, fixing basic RSS functionality remains a priority because the company’s CTI community relies on news-reading capabilities.
The technical difficulties extend beyond the web platform. Feedly is currently investigating issues preventing the iOS app from loading. Khodabakchian acknowledged he was not previously aware of these specific loading failures but promised a quick fix, noting that the company continues to actively invest in its main iOS and Android applications.
Compounding user frustration, Feedly retired the Feedly Classic app two weeks ago due to non-compliance with iOS and Android requirements. The app had been removed from the App Store weeks prior to its final shutdown, and the company did not notify the few hundred active users before the closure.
Allegations of ignored customer support requests emerged from user reports on Reddit, prompting TechCrunch to seek an update from the company. While Feedly attributes the slowdown to a bug, the broader context of its AI-focused business model has raised questions among subscribers about the company’s commitment to its core RSS product.
Feedly, which inherited the market after Google Reader closed in 2013, is the largest standalone RSS reader globally with 15 million users. It competes with services such as Inoreader, NetNewsWire, and Reeder in a market that remains relatively small compared to dedicated news apps like Apple News or social media platforms.
