Customer Reviews (100)

Shawn Acorn (Travel with the Acorns) • 2025-03-21T16:21:54.125Z

Fairly accurate. If you live in Northern regions it seems the sun position on the app is 20 minutes behind the actual position on the sun. That slight error won't affect your filming.

Something Else • 2025-03-09T12:31:03.670Z

Does what it says. it's a little bit expensive to buy the pro version, but way cheaper than others. A good app Thanks guys

Alex Chernavsky • 2025-03-08T19:08:22.656Z

Super useful tool if you need to know the sun location at any set date and time.

Summary of Key Insights

  • The Sun Position, Sunrise/set PRO app enjoys a very positive overall sentiment, reflected in its high average rating. Users find it accurate, useful, and easy to use for a variety of purposes.
  • The app's key strengths lie in its accuracy, diverse applications (photography, gardening, solar panel installation, home buying), and user-friendly interface.
  • Weaknesses are relatively few but include occasional magnetic errors, a desire for more prominent current sun position indication, and a perceived high price point for the pro version.
  • The overall rating is high, with the vast majority of users giving 5-star reviews.
  • Score Distribution: 1-star (4%), 2-star (0%), 3-star (1%), 4-star (7%), 5-star (88%)

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 100 reviews
  • Time Frame: Not explicitly stated, but likely represents a cumulative collection of reviews over a significant period. Reviews mention updates spanning from 2023 to late 2024.
  • Analysis Methods: The analysis employed sentiment assessment (identifying positive, negative, and neutral feedback), keyword extraction (identifying frequently used terms), and thematic analysis (grouping reviews by topic or feature).

Key User Pain Points

  • Magnetic Errors/Compass Issues: Several users, particularly those with Samsung S20+ and S24 Ultra phones, reported significant magnetic errors requiring frequent recalibration. This negatively impacts accuracy.
  • Subtle Current Sun Position Indicator: Some users found the asterisk indicating the current sun position in the data screen too weak, hindering quick identification.
  • Perceived Price: A few users mentioned that the pro version is somewhat expensive.
  • Inaccurate Sun Direction (Rare): One user experienced inaccurate sun direction on the map, leading to a misaligned sunrise photo.
  • Lack of Compass on Device: One user mistakenly purchased the app without realizing their tablet lacked a compass, rendering the app useless.
  • App not Opening: One user reported the app didn't open and requested a refund.

Frequently Requested Features

  • Shade Prediction: A function to visualize shade cast by structures of different heights.
  • Data Export/Charting: The ability to export data (e.g., sun altitude, azimuth, day length) for analysis and charting.
  • Sunset Guideline: A visual guideline on the map to easily locate optimal sunset viewing positions (e.g., behind a landmark).
  • Sun Tracking Option: (Mentioned by one user as unsure if it exists).

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Accuracy: Many users praise the app's accuracy in predicting sunrise/sunset times and sun position.
  • Usefulness for Photography: Photographers find the app invaluable for planning shoots and predicting golden hour times.
  • Helpful for Solar Panel Planning: Users successfully utilize the app to optimize solar panel placement and anticipate shading issues.
  • Gardening Applications: The app aids in determining sun exposure for optimal plant placement.
  • Home Buying/Building: Users leverage the app to assess sunlight exposure in potential homes and plan passive solar building designs.
  • Easy to Use: The app is generally considered intuitive and user-friendly.
  • Wealth of Information: Users appreciate the comprehensive data provided, including sunrise/sunset times, moon phases, golden hour, and twilight times.
  • Widget Functionality: The home screen widget for displaying sunrise/sunset times is well-received.
  • Planning tool: Users find it helpful for planning various outdoor activities.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

High Priority:

  • Address Magnetic Sensor Issues: Investigate and resolve the magnetic sensor issues reported by Samsung users. This could involve improving calibration algorithms, providing clearer instructions, or offering alternative sensor data sources.
  • Improve Current Sun Position Indication: Enhance the visibility of the current sun position indicator on the data screen, making it more prominent and easily identifiable.
  • Provide clear system requirements: Make it obvious that the device needs to have a compass.

Medium Priority:

  • Consider Pricing Adjustments: Evaluate the pricing of the pro version to ensure it aligns with user expectations and perceived value.
  • Implement Shade Prediction Feature: Develop a feature that allows users to visualize shade cast by structures, addressing a common user need.
  • Data Export Functionality: Add the ability to export data for further analysis and charting.

Low Priority:

  • Sunset Guideline Tool: Explore the feasibility of adding a sunset guideline tool to the map view.
  • Investigate Inaccurate Sun Direction Reports: While infrequent, investigate reported instances of inaccurate sun direction to identify potential causes and improve map accuracy.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • Enhanced Shade Planning Tool: A standalone app or expanded feature set focused solely on shade planning, incorporating 3D modeling and advanced visualization.
  • Solar Panel Optimization Service: A service that combines the app's data with on-site assessments to provide comprehensive solar panel installation recommendations.
  • Location-Based Photography Planning App: An app that integrates sun position data with other photography tools (e.g., weather forecasts, location scouting) to provide a complete photography planning solution.

Trends and Observations

  • The app is used by a diverse range of users, including photographers, gardeners, solar panel installers, farmers, pilots, and home buyers.
  • Users are generally very enthusiastic about the app's capabilities and its impact on their activities.
  • The app is particularly valuable for planning outdoor activities and optimizing sun exposure.
  • There are no significant trends or changes in sentiment over time apparent from the provided reviews.

Conclusion

The Sun Position, Sunrise/set PRO app is a highly valued tool with a strong user base. Addressing the reported magnetic sensor issues and improving the current sun position indicator are crucial for enhancing the user experience. Implementing the requested shade prediction and data export features would further increase the app's value and appeal. Overall, the app is well-received and provides a valuable service to its users. Continued development and refinement based on user feedback will ensure its continued success.

Original App Link

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.andymstone.sunposition