Customer Reviews (500)

Prbenber • 2025-03-28T10:08:00-07:00

This app if you don’t pay the premium is very simple, nothing special. I didn’t like when randomly send creepy notifications.

walrus hater • 2025-03-28T10:01:08-07:00

i really want to know what happened with the flannel shirt

Phil3033 • 2025-03-25T07:03:20-07:00

I like keeping an eye Moon Phase. This a so handy and easy. A must for moon watchers.

Summary of Key Insights

The MOON - Current Moon Phase app is generally well-received, with a strong positive sentiment driven by its simplicity, aesthetic design, and unique, often humorous, notifications. However, recent updates introducing a subscription model, widget issues, and concerns about the accuracy of moon phase data, as well as the increasingly random nature of notifications, have generated negative feedback. Users appreciate the app's core functionality and quirky personality, but are sensitive to changes that impact its usability or perceived value. The app boasts an overall rating that skews heavily positive due to the large number of 5-star reviews, but the 1-star reviews highlight significant problems that need addressing.

  • Overall Rating: High (skewed by a large number of historical positive reviews)
  • Key Strengths: Simplicity, beautiful design, unique and funny notifications (though this is becoming more divisive), offline functionality.
  • Key Weaknesses: Recent subscription model, widget malfunctions, accuracy concerns, increasingly random and sometimes offensive notifications, lack of advanced features.
  • Sentiment: Mostly positive, but with growing negative sentiment regarding recent changes.
  • Score Distribution:
    • 5-star: 72.8% (364/500)
    • 4-star: 8.6% (43/500)
    • 3-star: 6.6% (33/500)
    • 2-star: 2.6% (13/500)
    • 1-star: 9.4% (47/500)

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 500 reviews
  • Time Frame: The reviews span several years, with a noticeable concentration of recent reviews addressing current app versions and features.
  • Analysis Methods: The analysis involved a combination of sentiment analysis (identifying positive, negative, and neutral opinions), keyword extraction (identifying frequently mentioned topics and issues), and thematic analysis (grouping reviews based on common themes and sentiments). Reviews were manually read and categorized.

Key User Pain Points

  • Subscription Model: The introduction of a subscription model for previously free features is a major source of frustration. Users feel that features like ad removal and access to customization options are not worth the price. Some users specifically state they will delete the app due to the subscription.
  • Widget Issues: Malfunctioning or absent widgets, particularly after iOS updates, are a recurring problem. Users rely on the widget for quick access to moon phase information, and its failure significantly degrades the user experience. The widgets show as blank gray squares.
  • Accuracy Concerns: Some users report that the app's moon phase data is inaccurate, differing from other sources. This undermines the app's core functionality and credibility.
  • Notifications: While many users appreciate the quirky and humorous notifications, others find them increasingly random, nonsensical, annoying, or even offensive. Some long-time users believe the quality of the notifications has declined. Some users complain they do not receive any notifications at all.
  • Lack of Features: Some users desire more advanced features, such as moonrise/moonset times, astrological information, and a lunar calendar.
  • Bugs: Some users report other bugs such as in-app purchases not working, and that they cannot change the appearance of the moon.

Frequently Requested Features

  • Moonrise/Moonset Times: Many users want the app to display moonrise and moonset times for their location.
  • Lunar Calendar: A full lunar calendar view is a frequently requested feature.
  • Astrological Information: Some users would like the app to include astrological signs and related information.
  • Customizable Notifications: Allowing users to customize the frequency and content of notifications.
  • Working Widget: A reliable and informative widget for the home screen.
  • Ability to retrieve/review past notifications Users want the ability to see past notifications within the app.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Simplicity and Ease of Use: Users consistently praise the app's simple and intuitive interface.
  • Aesthetic Design: The app's beautiful graphics and animations are a major draw.
  • Unique Notifications: The quirky and humorous notifications are a distinctive feature that many users enjoy (though this is a double-edged sword).
  • Offline Functionality: The app works offline, which is a valuable feature for users in areas with limited connectivity.
  • Ability to view past and future moon phases: The ability to see the moon phase for any date is a useful feature.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

  • High Priority:
    • Fix Widget Issues: Address the widget malfunctions immediately. A broken widget is a major usability issue for many users.
    • Address Accuracy Concerns: Investigate and correct any inaccuracies in the moon phase data. This is critical for the app's core functionality.
    • Re-evaluate Subscription Model: Consider offering a more compelling value proposition for the subscription or reverting to a fully free model with optional donations.
  • Medium Priority:
    • Improve Notification Quality: Carefully curate and moderate the notifications to ensure they remain humorous and engaging without becoming annoying or offensive. Consider adding user customization options.
    • Add Moonrise/Moonset Times: Implement moonrise and moonset times as a highly requested feature.
    • Provide Lunar Calendar View: Implement a lunar calendar view.
  • Low Priority:
    • Explore Astrological Information: Consider adding astrological information as an optional feature for interested users.
    • Address Minor Bugs: Fix any reported bugs, such as issues with in-app purchases or the inability to change moon appearance.
    • Shake for Star Harp: Fix the shake for star harp feature on the iPhone.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • Personalized Lunar Guidance App: An app that combines accurate moon phase data with personalized astrological insights and actionable guidance based on the user's birth chart and current lunar cycle.
  • Moon Phase Photography App: An app that provides moon phase information along with optimal photography times (golden hour, blue hour) and camera settings for capturing stunning moon images.
  • Creative Notification Platform: Expand the quirky notification concept into a platform where users can subscribe to different "notification personalities" or create their own.

Trends and Observations

  • Shift in Sentiment: There's a noticeable shift in sentiment from overwhelmingly positive to more mixed, with increasing negative reviews related to recent updates and the subscription model.
  • Notification Divide: The notifications are a polarizing feature. Some users love them, while others find them annoying or offensive.
  • Widget Importance: The widget is a key feature for many users, and its failure has a significant impact on their satisfaction.
  • Requests for More Information: Users generally like the simplicity of the app, but some desire more detailed information about the moon and its cycles.

Conclusion

The MOON - Current Moon Phase app has a strong foundation based on its simplicity, aesthetic design, and unique notifications. However, recent changes have negatively impacted the user experience and generated negative feedback. To maintain its popularity and attract new users, the developer should prioritize addressing the widget issues, accuracy concerns, and subscription model, as well as carefully curating the notifications. By listening to user feedback and focusing on improving the app's core functionality and value proposition, the developer can ensure its continued success.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/moon-current-moon-phase/id660036257?uo=2