Ask HN: What do you hate the most in mobile apps?

8 points by koynoyno 5 years ago | 19 comments

Which user scenarios drive you mad?

For example, I have a 6.6" phablet, which I often use with a single hand when I walk. It's comfortable to look at the top part of the screen. However, it's much more comfortable to use the bottom part of the screen. That's why I love every app which considers this "single-hand" scenario and places inputs to the bottom.

Also, what do you like the most? Like small features, well-thought decisions, etc.

The last discovery for me was putting my favorite VPN in notification panel shortcuts to turn it on in seconds from anywhere.

eucryphia 5 years ago |

When there is a lag in response and you click a button or menu item, it changes to something else in the blink of an eye and you've clicked something completely different.

kedikedi 5 years ago | |

+1 This is not just for apps, it also happens with websites. I am not a web guy, so I don't know the jargon but web pages keep changing even after they are done. I tap on something but it just adds another element there and I end up tapping on something else since everything shifts

dyingkneepad 5 years ago | | |

I remember when the "tableless" concept first appeared a long long time ago and one of the main arguments in favor of implementing it was to prevent the page rearranging itself as it loaded. Look at where we are now...

koynoyno 5 years ago | |

+1. Any tap should be visible immediately, and any operation that takes more than 2-3 seconds should display a loader.

st1x7 5 years ago |

The following user flow:

- open a free app for the first time after download

- app asks me to fill in details or answer questions in order to create account

- after I've provided my details, the app asks for a subscription payment in order to actually create the account

Any app that does this get instantly deleted.

dyingkneepad 5 years ago |

Privacy. Fuck apps: if it can work on a Browser I'll run it on a browser. It may not be perfect in terms of privacy, but at least it will have a lot less power in fingerprinting me.

I don't care if it's significantly slower or wastes resources: I'll probably keep your app open for like 3 minutes while I do the thing I want it to do. The only apps that stay open for a while are browsers and games. Everything else should be a web page.

jamil7 5 years ago | |

I build things for phones (natively) and also often for the web. It’s sad to see mobile apps perceived this way due to greedy and questionable tracking practices in the industry. To me a really well made Android or iOS app that takes full advantage of the platform is a satisfying thing to build.

dyingkneepad 5 years ago | | |

Yet it provides no additional value to the user if the user is only going to spend 3 minutes per day on it. Only downsides.

fikama 5 years ago |

I hate that I can't have two "windows" of the same app. Like on the computer where I can open word twice, then open two diffrent documents in them.

ohiovr 5 years ago | |

Safari has this trick on the iPad I know of.

highhedgehog 5 years ago | |

On a lot of phones this is possible

runjake 5 years ago |

Overuse of gestures. Apps that have both swipe left/right and swipe up/down gestures drive me mad.

It feels like walking on banana peels. I am always accidentally activating somewhere with errant swipes. In fact, I just did it while typing up this comment.

I'm either seriously uncoordinated, the touch sensors are too sensitive, or its just plain bad UX.

ohiovr 5 years ago |

Copy and paste on the iPhone. I would really like to have a physical button at this point for that function. On my devices at least (yours might be ok..) the selection process is hard, the copy process is maddeningly intermittently working at times. Once in while it straight up refuses to copy.

koynoyno 5 years ago | |

What about the three-fingers gesture? It seems more convenient than a standard touch-and-hold.

the_only_law 5 years ago | |

I just switched from Android to iOS and this one thing has been bugging me

ohiovr 5 years ago | | |

It's been so long since I've used Android. How is it done on the latest of those machines?

_trampeltier 5 years ago |

It feels like all Apps exist just to spy on your phone and track you, thats why I have just several Browsers but almost no Apps.

patatino 5 years ago |

Signup before I can do anything

dave_sid 5 years ago |

Tbh I hate hybrid apps where you’re clearly dealing with a html inside a container. You’re always getting a sub standard result with it.