Hi there! I’m AJ from the Apollo product team, here with some updates on where we are with our fiction podcast app, and what is coming next.
One of the challenges we took on in building Apollo was the decision to launch the app on both Android and iOS devices on day one. While it would have been easier and faster to develop for only one operating system, especially with a team as small as ours, we didn’t want to leave any fiction fans behind. Today, Apollo’s user base is nearly equally divided between iOS and Android users, so we’re confident that we made the right choice in not limiting the app to only half of audio fiction fans. The tradeoff we face is in slower development agility and weaker stability on some devices (because of the number of device models we must support).
A particular note of thanks to everyone who has sent us in-app feedback on bugs, crashes, feature requests, and just general encouragement on Apollo. We read and log every message, and the inspiration for many upcoming features was the feedback we received. In the next few months, Apollo will be rolling out several exciting new features focused on improving the listening experience.
Some key improvements include a redesigned audio player and a listening queue system. The updated player is more responsive, easier to use, and sports a persistent mini-player (to replace the Continue Listening section and making it easier to jump back into your listening). Users can toggle on/off auto-continue, which determines whether the app auto-plays the next episode in the queue or stops playback at the end of the current episode.
The new queue system allows listeners to build a playlist for the day’s occasion, hit play, and not have to touch the app again. Users will be able to add entire seasons (our single episodes) to their listening queues with just one touch, perfect for long road trips.
We are also redesigning our backend systems to lay the groundwork for the ambitious feature set we are planning to release later in the year (more on this soon!). There are several benefits to re-architecting these systems, including speeding up the sync of RSS updates for existing shows on Apollo (fetching new episodes faster), streamlining the addition of new fiction podcasts to the Apollo catalog, and empowering our team to keep the Discover page fresh and relevant with new shows and curated playlists at a faster cadence. We expect many stability improvements and bug fixes as an added benefit of this redesign.
Later in the year, we will be releasing a brand new Library system, allowing users to create smart playlists that auto-update based on user’s chosen criteria. For instance, if a listener wants a smart playlist to include only newly-released episodes of their favorite short-form comedy audio dramas, they’ll easily be able to do so. Keeping track of your favorite shows new releases will be so much easier.
We would love to hear what YOU would like to see next. Get in touch with us at hello@apollopods.com, or send us feedback from within the app. Thanks, and happy listening!
— AJ
