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Bolt has a cool web interface and they really don't want you to use it

toot.kuba-orlik.name

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Re: Bolt has a cool web interface and they really don't want you to use it

#91

Post by stefan_ »

throwaway2048 wrote: post #18
laurencei wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Its funny though - because their mobile web interface is SOOOO bad, I'm using the "Apollo" app, which means I dont see any Reddit ads, and its a much better experience. If they didnt have such a crappy web experience, I would probably just use the native web page and see some ads. So its actually driving people away to alternatives that reduces their revenue. Crazy...

I'm about 90% sure that reddit is going to pull a twitter and kill off API access so apps like Apollo no longer function.

Sure, in another 10 years or so. They have increased headcount 10x and VC investment 10x but execution is forever stuck at "worse than Twitter" levels.

Re: Bolt has a cool web interface and they really don't want you to use it

#92

Post by Firmwarrior »

sp332 wrote: post #60
brycewray wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The result of which will be, paraphrasing an old letter to the editor for a magazine that had temporarily stopped publishing such letters... ==== Dear Reddit, What a coincidence. You've stopped allowing third-party apps to have access to your API, and I've stopped visiting your site. Sincerely, A Former User

Is that a net negative for them though? Unless you're a really active or popular poster, you're probably just costing them money browsing the site and not looking at ads.

Well, if I'm not there providing expert input on esoteric programming stuff, memes on StarTrekMemes, or participating in my local community's small sub, they'll all decline in value

Reddit will turn into a bad TikTok clone and probably die off to the real TikTok if too many people like us leave

Re: Bolt has a cool web interface and they really don't want you to use it

#93

Post by hsuduebc2 »

mojuba wrote: post #9

There's an (unverified) myth that retention on mobile apps is better. This is one of those things that marketing people keep telling each other without ever verifying the facts. (Unless you deliberately make the web version inferior, of course.) The reasoning behind it is that you should take real estate on the user's home screen at all costs, because your app's icon will serve as a reminder and people will allegedly…

This is ridiculous. Why they assume that I'm picking because I saw them on screen? I'm picking them because of price and service quality. People from marketing voodoo...

Re: Bolt has a cool web interface and they really don't want you to use it

#94

Post by joshstrange »

moneywoes wrote: post #88
joshstrange wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If they want you to just have any app installed they'd win even if you install Apollo. Sorry but this just isn't true. They want the app for the tracking, push notifications, etc. Apollo doesn't have the tracking and does it's own push notifications (so you don't get Reddit's marketing-type notifications). Also it's much harder, if not impossible, to block ads in an app vs the web. Apollo has zero ads, they absolut…

Does Apollo use their official apis won’t they just deprecate those like Twitter did?

Yep, that’s why I said this:

> It's only a matter of time before they "Twitter" up their API even more than they already do.

When that happens I imagine I’ll fall off of Reddit. “old.reddit.com” and Apollo are the only reasons it’s bearable to use other than a Google search destination.

There is and will be for years if not decades a ton of important/useful information on reddit. Things like cooking tips, home server building, relatively unbiased product reviews, video game help, and the list goes on. A good portion of that content is evergreen. But as for participating, I won’t go back to the official app after using Apollo, even if that means leaving Reddit after over a decade.

Re: Bolt has a cool web interface and they really don't want you to use it

#95

Post by mattlondon »

gregdoesit wrote: post #15

I formerly worked at Uber. I’m surprised that Bolt blocks the web app from working. Uber also built a web app which is incredibly lightweight - here’s a summary on how it was built [1]. It’s a life saver especially if e.g. at an airport and you pay for data over roaming. Uber doesn’t exactly advertise m.uber.com, but there’s no blocking of it. My suspect is that Bold wants you to use their app as they can eg send pus…

Just tried it in London - logged in as usual, all looks good until you try to book, then it tells you booking is not available and to use the app.

Re: Bolt has a cool web interface and they really don't want you to use it

#96

Post by pixl97 »

dawnerd wrote: post #87
Lucasoato wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I really can't understand why Reddit is pushing the app so hard. I mean, keep that as an option, but why creating an awful UX for the mobile web users? You gather more data but the product is worse, less users are staying and you're losing value at the end...

Easy, harder for users to block the ads in apps. Apple / Google should allow add blockers for the entire OS.

Heh, Google adding ad blockers.... I think you might be on the wrong timeline.

Re: Bolt has a cool web interface and they really don't want you to use it

#97

Post by derekzhouzhen »

mojuba wrote: post #9

There's an (unverified) myth that retention on mobile apps is better. This is one of those things that marketing people keep telling each other without ever verifying the facts. (Unless you deliberately make the web version inferior, of course.) The reasoning behind it is that you should take real estate on the user's home screen at all costs, because your app's icon will serve as a reminder and people will allegedly…

People on HN are not idiots. Users, in a broad sense, are. There are people searching for wordle in the app store for Christ's sake.

Re: Bolt has a cool web interface and they really don't want you to use it

#98

Post by pixl97 »

sva_ wrote: post #67
usrn wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Push notifications. Once someone is hooked on the site a notification can get them back into the dopamine feedback loop very easily. I think this is why restaurant chains have started giving people free food to install their apps too (along with all the data they can sell now.) I think smartphones would be much less popular if people understood why corporations love "apps" so much. It's nothing like the older PC worl…

> Push notifications. Do people not turn these off? When I get an unwanted notification, I immediately withdraw permissions to send notifications, or even uninstall the app

If your on HN you're already in a very filtered group that is less likely to be passive on abusive technology.

Re: Bolt has a cool web interface and they really don't want you to use it

#99

Post by cdrini »

jjjjjjjjjjjjjjj wrote: post #2

This reminds me of Reddit's approach to mobile. They make their mobile web interface excruciating to use, and block features client side just to push you onto their app. I'm guessing it has to do with mobile users being more lucrative?

You can actually disable the open in app prompt; it's kind of hidden, but if you open the menu > settings > uncheck "Request to open in app". This makes it usable for me.

Re: Bolt has a cool web interface and they really don't want you to use it

#100

Post by pixl97 »

nguyenkien wrote: post #50
kuba-orlik wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My suspicion is that it's harder to monitor network traffic in an app than it is on the Web, and they want to push as much trackers as possible

You mean easier to track on app than web, right?

"This app would like to use location services"

'Allow'

Or

'Uninstall'

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