Disappointed with AgileBits handling of Android
Comments
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This was for my own curiosity after seeing that 1P 6.2 for iOS was just announced today, so I thought I would do a little 2015 timeline for the major 1P updates on Android vs iOS
Android:
4.2: 2015-04-7
4.5: 2015-07-15iOS:
5.2: 2015-01-03
5.3: 2015-03-26
5.4: 2015-04-14
5.5: 2015-08-20
6.0: 2015-09-16
6.1: 2015-11-09This is a great app and I'm not switching, but I do wish the two mobile versions were on par with each other, not even really in the number of releases but at least in parity of features.
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@opuntia2: Agreed! Feature parity is our goal going forward (apart from platform differences). I'm especially glad that you called that out, since playing the numbers game isn't particularly helpful. Version numbers are pretty arbitrary after all, but you're right that it's what's inside that counts. Thanks for your continued support. We'll keep working to bring 1Password for Android to the point where it meets your (justifiably!) high standards! :chuffed:
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Jeff, thank you for coming on the forums and giving us a real update "from the top." The team who respond in the forums do a great job, but when some of your most passionate users are on the verge of losing the faith it's great to know that we are being heard all the way up the chain.
I'm sure you noted one of your competitors introducing a brand new version earlier this month. They announced desktop versions across Windows, Mac, Linux and Android on the same day, with the iOS version following within the week. Now that, in my opinion, is how to stage a cross-platform rollout, and it makes sense, given they use a subscription model.
If 1Password hopes to convince this user to switch to a subscription offering, it's going to be an uphill battle without feature parity and coordinated cross-platform releases.
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@brenty Like you state it'll never be 100% feature parity due to platform differences (i.e. peek and pop for android not happening), but the main things need to be there, like fingerprint (imprint), OPVault in dropbox and TOTP creation.
@opuntia2: I'm sad to say that you'll have to wait a bit longer for some of these (and other) highly-anticipated features, but I'm happy to say that these are all on the shortlist, barring some fiasco (along with plenty I can't talk about yet). If X feature you or anyone else is anxiously awaiting doesn't happen to make the cut for the initial release for whatever reason, rest assured that we're on the same page and we've got plenty more in the pipeline. The last thing we want to do to you (or the AgileBits team!) is 'reset' with yet another long wait. ;)
I'm sure you noted one of your competitors introducing a brand new version earlier this month. They announced desktop versions across Windows, Mac, Linux and Android on the same day, with the iOS version following within the week. Now that, in my opinion, is how to stage a cross-platform rollout, and it makes sense, given they use a subscription model.
@EnerJi: I mean this a bit tongue-in-cheek, but as you intimated, it's probably also easier to hold back updates to do a simultaneous multi-platform launch like that when it's a recurring subscription. ;)
In all seriousness, some companies with a model similar to our own (which can incentivize this sort of behaviour) also intentionally stockpile features and hold them back for paid upgrades, and frankly as customers ourselves that kind of pisses us off. I can imagine you might feel the same, but the flip side of avoiding that business model is that it makes it hard to do simultaneous launches. We just don't like the idea of operating that way, and that just happens to have other, less-desirable consequences. I know it may not feel like it right now, but I think that's a net win as a customer. We LOVE it when we can offer a free upgrade in a sustainable fashion. We want to WOW our customers with great deals like that, but only if we don't end up screwing all of us by making it so we can't continue offering the level of support that you expect from us — and we expect from ourselves.
If 1Password hopes to convince this user to switch to a subscription offering, it's going to be an uphill battle without feature parity and coordinated cross-platform releases.
You're right. And to be blunt, it sucks to have to make you wait while we work on this. You can't imagine (well, maybe you can) how excited we've been about fingerprint, UI, and other major changes we've put so much time and energy (and passion) into. And I think there are probably a lot of folks here in this discussion who would be happy to test something really raw and unfinished, but our dedication (and perhaps our pride) gets in the way of releasing something like that publicly.
That said, it's probably easier for us to maintain a positive passion under the circumstances since it's in our hands. Passion can breed negativity when it's out of your control, and I'm sorry that the wait has been so long as to contribute to that. But we're almost there. :)
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@brenty I simply hope you guys remembered what agile means after this debacle. Release often with smaller features. Sure it doesn't have the huge wow factor, but guess what, you won't piss your customers off that way. In my opinion, I would do monthly releases with a single targeted feature, aka fingerprint support, or material, or whatever (once this release is out). If you guys can stick to a monthly release, you won't piss people off. Plus, your app will look continuously updated, which is always something I look for when installing an app, especially a paid one.
Sure you might not be able to have such a huge blog post that you can put all over social media, but you'll have more frequent, smaller updates to do it with. This of course means your name will be spread around more often, probably increasing the customer base more than one big feature release. Also, as mentioned, you are less likely to piss of your current customer base, which obviously should come first. Not saying you guys shouldn't try to grow the business, because obviously without a subscription based model, you have to rely on upgrades or new customers to make money.
Just remember, agile, agile, agile, and communication, communication, communication. Maybe it's a good idea that every day one random developer has to go run around saying one of those things like Steve Ballmer. Then you won't forget in the future. :)
Also just a hint, at least from my perspective, stop with the whole "You can't imagine how excited we've been" stuff. Your excitement just further irritates us. It's kinda like waving food in front of a hungry person and saying "oh my god, so good".
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Also just a hint, at least from my perspective, stop with the whole "You can't imagine how excited we've been" stuff. Your excitement just further irritates us. It's kinda like waving food in front of a hungry person and saying "oh my god, so good".
Agreed. It's put up or shut up time. Enough teasing; just deliver the goods. And better hope they are freakin' fantastic after all this time and teasing...
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I can't wait to come back here in 6 weeks to see further disappointment when this still hasn't shipped. I joined the beta over a year ago and not a single update has brought any sort of noticeable change to the android UI.
Let's be honest, Agilebits is an i-company. Mac and iOS will always get priority. Even if we get a significant update with features in the next 1-2 years, it'll be to something that's still significantly behind the iOS and mac versions. The answer we should have at this point to "soon!" isn't excitement and gratitude, it should be "we'll believe it when we see it". Agilebits have done absolutely nothing in the past couple of years to earn our trust.
If you want to tease and you're close, how about a screenshot?
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Feature parity is absolutely important to us. The Android team is working very hard to bring a similar experience to the platform. There is a lot of excitement behind the upcoming beta release, and I think it will get even better when we get to share it with users as dedicated as you all. Thank you! :)
5 weeks! We are hoping to have the release out sooner if things continue to go the way they are!
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I'm sorry to say that somewhere in the past year I've stopped recommending 1Password to others. I've loved this application and I've been using and recommending it for years, but I simply have to conclude that too many features remain "on the roadmap" and never turn into a reality.
Take e.g. this thread. It's asks for support for multiple vaults in Android. The thread was started in June 2014 and in a July 2014 reply someone from Agile Bits already says "it's on the roadmap". The iOS app offers support for Multiple vaults for over a year now and I would be highly and pleasantly surprised if the "multiple vaults" feature for Android turned into reality before the iOS version's second anniversary of this feature.
It was nice of Agile's CEO @Jeff Shiner to reply to this thread, but perhaps it was also necessary to soothe the growing noise of disappointed Android users. Furthermore what Jeff tells us shouldn't come as a surprise. Off course 1Password for teams is coming to Android. If it wouldn't, 1Password for teams would be a lot less appealing for larger organizations that simply require the support of multiple os's.
Just like others I'm annoyed that 1Password chooses to prioritize this new revenue stream above features that have been requested and promised (It was on the roadmap wasn't it) for a long time. However this is a choice Agile Bits can make and I hope that they succeed in selling 1Password for teams, because the extra revenue stream as well as the addition of multiple Android users from new organizations might unlock the resources to actually and finally raise the priority of 1Password for Android.
I truly believe @Jeff Shiner and Agile Bits want feature parity for Android, but I also believe that this wish is very, very, very low on their list of priorities. Until the moment there will be true equality between the priorities for Android vs. iOS, I will be recommending people to look elsewhere for password management solutions (More particular I'll tell them to look at Lastpass, which we're using in our organization for the past 2 years and which, although far inferior in UX, really does offer cross platform support).
Finally I would like to suggest Agile Bits to stop using the "on the roadmap" answer to keep users satisfied. Be real and honest and tell us that something is a nice to have, but it's still in the icebox and there's no priority to actually add it.
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@RMNL: You're absolutely right. Thank you for your honesty. We probably shouldn't discuss the roadmap, because it changes and what was once a high priority (multiple vaults) can be superseded by something newer (material design, fingerprint)...but on the outside it may seem disingenuous. We'll do better.
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@brenty Today I received the newsletter with big news (version 6, Team-support) but again there is no word of the android version. This thread is one of many with unhappy and paying users of the Android version. You promised, that the Team is working on a new version for android. But honestly, after this newsletter with no mention this promise is without substance for me. You missed a big change to satisfy users. I am very disappointed – again.
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Yes, it would seem that Android is the forgotten child once again...even with well over 1 billion Android users worldwide. Perhaps the 1P Android numbers are down...perhaps this is because the support for this platform has always been an after-thought. Very disappointing...
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Just to echo what has been said above - another update for iOS, and nothing except "wait 5 more weeks for the beta for stuff that iOS has had for months".
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I agree with the last few comments. I don't see the harm in acknowledging that there is hard work going on in the Android (and Windows) platforms and to be on the lookout for an update next month, or something along those lines.
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Hello, everyone! We are very excited to announce the first public beta of 1Password 6 is now available to download. To install the new beta, please have a read through our forum post announcement over at Android Beta.
We look forward to hearing your feedback. Thanks again for your support. :)
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Just FYI: Moving 6.0 beta feedback into a separate thread. Cheers! :)
6.0 beta feedback
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It doesn't seem like you can get a popup window like with Lastpass when you encounter a site where you can log in? It has something called autofill but it doesn't seem to work like I expect it to? I'm not a big fan of switching keyboards.
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Hey @bjornryden.
It doesn't seem like you can get a popup window like with Lastpass when you encounter a site where you can log in?
Can you clarify this please? Do you get a popup anytime you're browsing and come to a page with a URL that is saved in 1Password? The 1Password keyboard has a 1Password icon that turns blue when it detects a Login. Are you referring to some sort of indicator like that?
Before deciding on the 1Password keyboard, we tested another implementation that turned out to be lacking in many ways, and didn't fill about half the time. That filling implementation was based on a feature added in Lollipop, which allowed us to set text in fields--essentially bypassing the clipboard. Due to the many issues with that implementation, we decided on the 1Password keyboard, which fills in far more places.
Sorry to hear that switching keyboards is cumbersome for you. We're hoping to improve our keyboard in the future, so that filling will be much easier across the board. :)
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Can you clarify this please? Do you get a popup anytime you're browsing and come to a page with a URL that is saved in 1Password? The 1Password keyboard has a 1Password icon that turns blue when it detects a Login. Are you referring to some sort of indicator like that?
I don't know how they do it exactly, but when I get to a page or even in another app where I have to log in, a popup windows appears and I can log in, and if I have a password saved it will show me.
Sorry to hear that switching keyboards is cumbersome for you. We're hoping to improve our keyboard in the future, so that filling will be much easier across the board. :)
Well you can't say switching keyboards every time you log in somewhere isn't cumbersome, because it is. And maybe some people think it's worth it but it is clearly possible to do it another way.
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Switching the keyboard every time is one thing it complicates the process of login. It takes so many steps. If there is something else, please add it. Everything is better than switching keyboards all day long.
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Thanks for the clarification, @bjornryden. A popup notification like that might be a neat feature, and I'll pass that along to the team. ref: OPA-757
As for filling, mverde explains why we ultimately went with the keyboard approach here, which should offer some insight into that decision.
We've since added the ability to long press on the space bar for quick switching between keyboards. We're also planning on reviewing our current implementation. :)
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