Worst web / app integration design I’ve seen yet?
I understand companies who have apps, try to make you use it because they can collect more data and control your experience better, but I noticed Yelp goes crazy with that. Like to another level.
I like using the browser for tab purposes and the app gave me too many notifications and I don’t like sharing my location all that much. But I noticed if you have the app downloaded, even if you’re using the website it will force you off to the app. If I don’t have the app downloaded it keeps giving me a notification almost every other tap, to make me use it. Like this wonderful full screen popup. If I go into desktop mode, I still get a banner for the mobile app. But the best of it is how yelp punishes you for not using the app by locking you out of features. I forget all of them, but off the top of my head, I can’t look at pictures or see multiple reviews. The desktop app is fine on desktop but on a phone, it’s not ideal but less annoying than the mobile website. So I deal with it or just stay away from yelp altogether.
It makes we wonder what are they collecting / doing with that app, to make you use it by intentionally making their user experience on mobile horrible. Does anyone else feel the same way? Has annoying else hit these roadblocks? Am I just overreacting?