Tracks 2.0: I Really Liked It, Until I Didn't
October 19, 2012
One of the early criticisms of iOS 6 was its heavy Facebook integration, which many felt was intrusive. The primary advantage that this integration provides is that users can send posts and images to their social timeline from native and third party iOS apps with ease. One of the apps taking advantage of this integration is Tracks, which recently received a 2.0 update.
The free app, which first launched in 2011, bills itself as a simple way to keep others informed of “your experiences and interests.” It does so through the use of “tracks,” which is fancy term for a group of images and videos. Of note, I’m probably not the first person that initially thought that this meant music tracks, and not images and videos. Still, the title works.
I’ve been using a prerelease, then final copy of Tracks 2.0 and found it stunning in terms of its new design. Still, it has some significant weaknesses that need to be corrected.
For the first time, Tracks include “Magic Tracks.” These groups of images “auto-magically” appear the first time the app is opened. Also new are “Joinable Tracks.” This tool makes sharing images as simple as creating a track and/or sending a link to friends. Both of these features debut alongside an improved design that is beautiful, especially on the iPhone 5’s larger screen.
So what’s not to love? Plenty, as I found out.
For one, the Magic Tracks aren’t so magical. They are only created once and don’t always contain “like” images. To truly be magical, I want to see these created often, not just the first time I open the app.
Track’s biggest weakness isn’t its overall concept, or how it looks. In fact, on these two points, the app is nearly perfect. Rather, I found the app extremely confusing to use.
Tracks are automatically sent to your Facebook timeline unless you turn on the “invite only” toggle. Unfortunately, this choice can only be made at the beginning of the Track creation process.
But guess what? Even when this toggle is turned on, the Track will still go to your followers, as I will soon explain.
The second step in the track creation process is the most important. Here photos and videos are added and/or snapped using a nice selection of filters.
This is also on this screen where you must decide (once and for all) whether you want to send a link to your track to friends through Facebook and/or Twitter. Unfortunately, because this control is pushed to the bottom of the photo-editing screen, it can be missed.
This is an important step in that it is an all or nothing proposition. Check one or both of the social networking icons and write a message and the entire track becomes available online. Once you get past this screen, there is also no going back. In other words, either you just told the app to send out the track to every one of your contacts or you did not. If a mistake is made, your only recourse is to manually delete the link on your social site. Deleting the track from within the app, in fact, will not remove it from your timeline. And that "invite only" toggle? It seems to make no difference, assuming you select a social network and write a message on this screen.
The final step is to select friends you’d like a track link to. Choices include inviting them via Facebook, SMS, email, or Twitter. Additionally, anyone that has previously been sent a link is also listed on this Brewster-like screen that includes the name and screenshot of your friends. Strangely, these screenshots are fuzzy, which completely takes away from Track’s beautiful design.
Clicking these links will either open Tracks (assuming the user is also using the service), or a page on the Web. Non-Tracks users will also be invited to join.
I really wanted to like Tracks, and maybe I will at some point. As it stands, the app remains somewhat confusing. Instead of placing social links here, there, and everywhere, Tracks would be wise to implement a simpler approach.
My advice for the developer is for them to create one social screen and be done with it. On this screen, allow the user to decide whether a track should be shared with everyone on their social site, and whether certain contacts should receive a message about it. Case closed. As it stands, use Tracks 2.0 with caution.
