Evernote has been acquired — right here’s how its new proprietor can repair it
For some time, Evernote was on high of the world. The Californian note-taking app surfed the 2000s tech productiveness increase to change into the chief in its area. However then it fell from grace, turning into sluggish, buggy, and costly. Customers deserted the platform, heading in droves to different note-taking apps.
And it seems like extra change is afoot. On January 3, the sale of Evernote to the Italian company Bending Spoons was finally confirmed.
On one hand, this may very well be regarding for remaining customers. Evernote will now not be an impartial firm, that means there may very well be enormous modifications to its present path. However then again… good?
I used to be an Evernote person for near a decade earlier than I switched final yr. Issues had merely gotten too unhealthy with the bloated, gradual, and cumbersome software program, so I turned to Bear, a streamlined and exquisite little bit of app.
With a brand new proprietor, Evernote now has a chance for a clear begin. Bending Spoons already has a suite of consumer apps which can be trendy, highly effective, and intuitive, and we have now to imagine the Italian firm will use its experience to form a brand new Evernote.
The query is what ought to it do? How can Bending Spoons convey Evernote to its former glory? Nicely, we have now some concepts.
Pace up Evernote apps
This was one of many foremost the explanation why I moved away from Evernote. Whereas I used and liked a number of the app’s options (similar to web clipping and document scanning), the primary purpose I used Evernote was for, properly, notes.
Whereas the velocity of writing and looking on desktop was acceptable, the identical wasn’t true on cellular units — particularly in the event that they had been a couple of years outdated.
If Bending Spoons needs to convey the shine again to Evernote, making its vary of apps as lightning quick as potential can be a very good begin.
Take away the bloat…
Within the mid-2010s, as Evernote was within the midst of accepting huge amounts of VC funds, the corporate diversified its choices with the intention to open up extra income streams. What that buzzwordy sentence means in human communicate is Evernote jammed a complete load of options into the app and tried to be lively on as many shops as potential.
A lot of this was poorly deliberate and examined, resulting in the software program being infamously described as a “bug-ridden elephant” by Jason Kincaid.
Whereas there have been upgrades to Evernote since which have improved general efficiency, it nonetheless feels that the app is making an attempt to do an excessive amount of. After all, having multimedia capabilities and integration into a number of apps is nice for some folks, however Evernote’s core mission needs to be note-taking. As an alternative, it feels centered on issues like chat, calendar, and duties, regardless of these areas of its software program performing far worse than opponents.
Bending Spoons ought to both take a look at shearing again Evernote’s options, or permitting folks to simply deselect sure options so the app can act as seamlessly as potential.
…however mix app performance
Evernote has an array of various apps exterior of its core little bit of software program — and a few of these needs to be folded again into the primary product.
On one hand, combining these apps into Evernote is antithetical to the above level of decreasing bloat, however hear me out.
The software program has tried to do most of the belongings you don’t desire a note-taking app to do. Why, for instance, would I ever wish to chat on the identical factor I’m writing on?
However take a look at these apps above once more. They embrace a sketcher, a doc scanner, and a handwriting app — all issues which can be helpful to taking notes. As an alternative of being walled off from Evernote and largely forgotten about, these needs to be key options to make the method of taking notes as highly effective as potential.
Scale back Evernote’s value
Price was an enormous ingredient of me abandoning Evernote. On the time, I used to be paying €70 a yr to take notes. That’s a foolish amount of cash — particularly with how I used it.
I by no means bought anyplace close to the allotted 10GB a month of storage, had no want of calendar integration or job administration, and by no means discovered a purpose to connect with Google Drive. So what was I paying €70 a yr for?
Bear — my present app — prices me round €14 ($15) for a similar interval, and I can’t say I’ve missed any of Evernote’s options since my transition.
I perceive there can be some energy customers who wish to use a full suite of options, however I assure there are scores extra who simply wish to clip websites and retailer notes. So why not introduce a tier that’s nearer to €20 a yr? One thing that provides all the essential options that individuals want?
Lastly, Evernote should respect customers
If Bending Spoons needs to avoid wasting Evernote and for it to reclaim some its former glory, the very first thing it ought to do is respect customers. Cease pushing upgrades on folks at each single potential alternative. Cease being so overly restrictive on the variety of units people can use the free model with. Cease ignoring customers’ complaints.
As an alternative, there must be a tradition of respect and dialogue, treating those that use Evernote like folks, relatively than strolling greenback indicators.
Sure, Evernote has taken a fall, however it nonetheless has a powerful sufficient model and sufficient followers to change into particular once more. The times of the unbridled tech increase are performed, however there’s nonetheless a spot for glorious apps doing easy issues properly. Let’s see if Bending Spoons could make that occur.
