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I think the point is that you should be allowed to browse without a login. Then, when you want to use any of the social features, you will be asked to create a

by ansible 11y ago

I think the point is that you should be allowed to browse without a login. Then, when you want to use any of the social features, you will be asked to create an account. I've looked at photos on Flickr without having an account on the web, why not with a mobile app too?

harryf 11y ago
Exactly. Flickr and Tumblr are both primarily about the content - there's no need to force users to login before they can explore. Also Facebook, Twitter et. al are the wrong examples to be looking at - brands already so strong people will jump through hoops to use them. If you're Yahoo! - coming from behind - your brand and even the brands of Flickr and Tumblr aren't strong enough to to require users login before they get to try anything. In the case of Tumblr you might get the _existing_ userbase from the web to come with you but you won't succeed in growing that audience on mobile. Examples that do use gradual engagement would be games. Clash of the Clans for example - a huge success on mobile - let's you immediately start playing without any form of identification. Many mobile games have strong social elements but they focus first on getting you engaged before requiring anything.
jonas21 11y ago
That's fine, but the claim that "The reason why Yahoo! has failed so far with their mobile apps is very simple - they try to force users to login" doesn't hold up when the most popular app in the world forces uses to log in.
- harryf 11y ago
  > the claim [...] doesn't hold up when the most popular app in the world forces uses to log in. Strongly disagree. Facebook (which I assume is what you mean by "the most popular app") was and still is _the_ social network. It's success on mobile has been driven by massive network effects. As such they can force users to jump through hoops which are in Facebook's favour because users want in so badly. That said Facebook doesn't get a free pass on device permissions, which is why they use gradual engagement in Messenger like this: http://installclub.tumblr.com/post/82319976281/double-opt-in-to-permissions http://installclub.tumblr.com/post/82319976281/double-opt-in... But if you want to attack the leader, or simply grow your mobile user base, you don't get the same luxury or network effects Facebook has. Yahoo! doesn't have anything users want _so_ bad that they'll jump through hoops to get it. But anyway - another a great example of an app "doing it right" is Airbnb - they let you browse properties without logging in - see http://firsttimeux.tumblr.com/post/83588089909/airbnb-ios-app-first-time-user-experience-the http://firsttimeux.tumblr.com/post/83588089909/airbnb-ios-ap... for details - this gives people a chance to see what they're getting before going through the pain of signup. This is the model Yahoo! should follow as their apps, like Airbnb, are primarily about the content not the social element

by ansible 11y ago

harryf 11y ago

Exactly. Flickr and Tumblr are both primarily about the content - there's no need to force users to login before they can explore. Also Facebook, Twitter et. al are the wrong examples to be looking at - brands already so strong people will jump through hoops to use them. If you're Yahoo! - coming from behind - your brand and even the brands of Flickr and Tumblr aren't strong enough to to require users login before they get to try anything. In the case of Tumblr you might get the _existing_ userbase from the web to come with you but you won't succeed in growing that audience on mobile. Examples that do use gradual engagement would be games. Clash of the Clans for example - a huge success on mobile - let's you immediately start playing without any form of identification. Many mobile games have strong social elements but they focus first on getting you engaged before requiring anything.

jonas21 11y ago

That's fine, but the claim that "The reason why Yahoo! has failed so far with their mobile apps is very simple - they try to force users to login" doesn't hold up when the most popular app in the world forces uses to log in.

harryf 11y ago
> the claim [...] doesn't hold up when the most popular app in the world forces uses to log in. Strongly disagree. Facebook (which I assume is what you mean by "the most popular app") was and still is _the_ social network. It's success on mobile has been driven by massive network effects. As such they can force users to jump through hoops which are in Facebook's favour because users want in so badly. That said Facebook doesn't get a free pass on device permissions, which is why they use gradual engagement in Messenger like this: http://installclub.tumblr.com/post/82319976281/double-opt-in-to-permissions http://installclub.tumblr.com/post/82319976281/double-opt-in... But if you want to attack the leader, or simply grow your mobile user base, you don't get the same luxury or network effects Facebook has. Yahoo! doesn't have anything users want _so_ bad that they'll jump through hoops to get it. But anyway - another a great example of an app "doing it right" is Airbnb - they let you browse properties without logging in - see http://firsttimeux.tumblr.com/post/83588089909/airbnb-ios-app-first-time-user-experience-the http://firsttimeux.tumblr.com/post/83588089909/airbnb-ios-ap... for details - this gives people a chance to see what they're getting before going through the pain of signup. This is the model Yahoo! should follow as their apps, like Airbnb, are primarily about the content not the social element