Analysis of Existing Competitor Apps

Analysing the user interface for existing competition for a Podcast App

'Overcast' iOS App

• Orange colour scheme, keeping consistency
• Similar layout to Apple Music so users will know how to operate basic play/skip/pause/select/ turning off and on settings without confusion
• There is a need to include the specific cover designs of each podcast - too big in this existing app and clashes - over complex/ too much visual literacy; comes across as compact and hectic
• A quick way to go forward and back 15 & 30 seconds - useful and relevant buttons as within a long podcast of sometimes over an hour, dragging/winding back small amounts is difficult on a small display screen 
• Similar to Netflix with the recommended for you sections however too broad (e.g. from twitter and not by genre). Should be more specific sectioning to guide the viewer/ make easier and more efficient steps 
• There are editing options for the speed of the podcasts - this ties in with our ever shortening attention spans. We now have access to everything under one roof, so people have less and less time and reason to spend more time than necessary on one thing / ties in with our ever growing rapid society. This is definitely a feature that would be popular with its audience.
• Feature actively shows how long is left of each podcast, presenting that it is a common issue to not finish one in a sitting 
• There are useful settings to ease the UX: sort episodes newest to oldest etc 
• Has a short description about each podcast, could have more detailed information – there is a good option to subscribe to all episodes – people could keep track / have favourites in order to make the App more personal to themselves 
• Customer review: 'The interface is a Dream to use, it is so thoughtfully laid out but with a minimal look'

'Podcasts' iOS App

• Same features as 'Overcast' in terms of play/pause/skip/voice speed etc showing the ease this creates for the UX
• As is made by Apple for Apple has consistency in its visual literacy – library/ browse/ search/ listen now with consistent icons 
• very simple, stripped back, essential like apple music but for podcasts 
• could have more personality / UX qualities 

'The Podcast App' 

• Have very boring aesthetic - blue is quite a cold colour and icons are quite babyish / resembles primary school textbooks 
• Doesn't appeal to a contemporary audience - want to get young people into podcasts - a form of education and awareness
• Easier to find new podcasts suited to specific user due to genre options
• Could have a profile section that people could share favourites / most popular / trending at the moment page 
• Has a download feature so you can listen offline 
• Not easy to see when podcasts have new episodes - needs a notification quality
• User review: "1) Cannot Force a new search for new episodes of a pod cast series. I know a new episode of my favourite daily podcast was released this morning but this app refuses to look for it (yes, I am subscribed). 2) I’m sick of seeing a full screen ad for Audible every time I start a podcast. It seems there is a minimum time you must have the ad on your screen before it can be deleted. The developers must have no respect for my time and I really resent that. For those two reasons, I have started using a competing app."

Feedback for app idea

Pitch: an app that links travel with entertainment. Putting in how long a walk you want to take / or the length of your journey time and Podcasts of the length will come up / you can chose from genres and create profiles and episodes accordingly. Promotes education / informative platforms amongst young people - takes them off social media and promotes a new entertainment sector 

feedback:

– connect with maps; can pop up with the length of your journey duration

– "Podo'clock"

– 'TravelPod' could have an alien spaceship symbol - current and sort of different approach to something considered quite mundane - contemporary approach which reflects the apps values

Exploring the feedback: