Customer Reviews (500)

HandsomeMarkyB • 2025-03-21T19:54:02-07:00

Works well for school projects, I like making random animations with it.

Cj steffey • 2025-03-21T14:28:12-07:00

It’s good

Heart computer • 2025-03-21T14:10:05-07:00

Good, but the text but is hard to type in

Summary of Key Insights

  • Google Slides is a widely used app, particularly in educational settings, but the mobile (iOS) version receives mixed reviews. While praised for its accessibility, ease of sharing, and integration with Google Workspace, it suffers from significant usability issues, especially on iPads and iPhones. Many users find the mobile app to be significantly less functional and more buggy than the desktop version. This leads to frustration and a reliance on the desktop version even when mobile use would be more convenient. The app is considered better than paying for Microsoft 365 by some users.
  • Key strengths include its free availability, collaborative features, and automatic saving. The primary weaknesses center around performance issues (lag, freezing, crashing), limited feature set compared to the desktop version, and difficulties with basic editing tasks on mobile devices.
  • Overall sentiment is moderately positive, but a significant portion of users express dissatisfaction with the mobile experience. Quantitative metrics show a polarized distribution, with many 5-star reviews balanced by a substantial number of 1-star reviews.
  • Overall Rating: Approximately 3.7 stars (based on the review distribution).
  • Score Distribution: 5-star (51.4%), 4-star (9%), 3-star (9%), 2-star (8.2%), 1-star (22.4%) (based on 500 reviews).

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 500 reviews
  • Time Frame: Not explicitly stated, but assumed to be recent based on the version number (1.2025.11202).
  • Analysis Methods: Primarily qualitative analysis focusing on identifying recurring themes, sentiment expressed, and feature requests within the user reviews. Keyword extraction was used to identify frequently mentioned issues and positive aspects. Quantitative analysis involved calculating the weighted average rating and percentage distribution of star ratings.

Key User Pain Points

  • Performance Issues (High Priority):
    • Lag, freezing, and crashing are frequently reported, especially on iPads and iPhones.
    • Impact: Disrupts workflow, causes data loss, and leads to significant user frustration.
  • Limited Feature Set Compared to Desktop (High Priority):
    • Many users complain about the lack of features available on the mobile app compared to the desktop version. Specific missing features include: transitions, animations, advanced formatting options (e.g., custom colors, background options, word art), and the ability to search for images directly within the app.
    • Impact: Forces users to switch to the desktop version to complete tasks, negating the convenience of a mobile app.
  • Usability Issues on Mobile (High Priority):
    • Difficulties with basic editing tasks such as moving text boxes, resizing objects, typing text, and changing fonts are common.
    • Impact: Makes the app cumbersome and frustrating to use, especially on smaller screens.
  • Bugs and Glitches (High Priority):
    • Issues with images not loading, text settings getting stuck, and slides disappearing are reported.
    • Impact: Creates an unreliable and unpredictable user experience.
  • Inconsistent Syncing (Medium Priority):
    • Some users report delays in edits made on iOS devices appearing for others.
    • Impact: Hinders real-time collaboration.
  • Lack of Offline Functionality (Medium Priority):
    • Some users report inconsistent or absent offline access, even when files are set to be available offline.
    • Impact: Limits usability in situations with limited or no internet connectivity.
  • Difficulty Adding Media (Medium Priority):
    • Users have issues adding images and videos (especially GIFs) to slides.
    • Impact: Limits creativity and makes presentations less engaging.
  • Problems with iPad Keyboard/Trackpad (Medium Priority):
    • Users have reported problems using external keyboards and trackpads with the app on iPads.

Frequently Requested Features

  • Transitions and Animations: The most frequently requested feature, especially for the iPad version.
  • Enhanced Formatting Options: More control over fonts, colors, backgrounds, and object styling.
  • Image Search Integration: The ability to search for and insert images directly from Google Images within the app.
  • Video Support: Improved support for adding and playing videos, including GIFs.
  • Speaker Notes: Ability to view and edit speaker notes within the mobile app.
  • Drawing/Annotation Tools: Ability to annotate or draw on slides, especially during presentations.
  • Better iPad Integration: Improved support for iPad-specific features like Split View and Slide Over.
  • More Templates: A wider variety of pre-designed templates.
  • Voice Recording: Ability to add voiceovers to slides.
  • Accessibility Improvements: Improved voiceover navigation.
  • Ability to add Add-ons: Some users want to be able to use add-ons on the iPad version.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Free and Accessible: Many users appreciate that Google Slides is free and readily available.
  • Collaboration Features: The ability to collaborate with others in real-time is a significant advantage.
  • Automatic Saving: Users appreciate that their work is automatically saved.
  • Integration with Google Workspace: Seamless integration with other Google services like Drive and Classroom is a plus.
  • Ease of Sharing: Easy to share presentations with others.
  • Offline Access: The ability to work offline (though inconsistent) is valued.
  • Simple and Easy to Use (on desktop): Some users find the desktop version simple and intuitive.
  • Versatile Use Cases: Users report using it for various purposes, including school projects, work presentations, wish lists, and even creating visual novels.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

  • High Priority:
    • Address Performance Issues: Investigate and resolve the lag, freezing, and crashing issues, particularly on iPads and iPhones. Profile app performance on various iOS devices and optimize code accordingly.
    • Implement Missing Features: Prioritize adding transitions, animations, and image search integration to the mobile app, focusing on the iPad version first.
    • Improve Usability on Mobile: Redesign the mobile interface to make basic editing tasks easier and more intuitive. Conduct usability testing with mobile users to identify pain points.
    • Fix Bugs and Glitches: Implement a robust bug tracking and fixing process to address the reported issues with images, text, and slide stability.
  • Medium Priority:
    • Ensure Consistent Syncing: Investigate and resolve the reported delays in syncing edits across devices.
    • Enhance Offline Functionality: Improve the reliability of offline access and ensure that users can consistently work on files offline.
    • Address iPad Keyboard/Trackpad Issues: Resolve problems with using external keyboards and trackpads on iPads.
  • Low Priority:
    • Add More Templates: Expand the library of pre-designed templates.
    • Implement Voice Recording: Add the ability to add voiceovers to slides.
    • Accessibility Improvements: Improve voiceover navigation.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • Mobile-First Presentation App: A presentation app designed specifically for mobile devices, with a focus on ease of use, touch-based interaction, and a streamlined feature set. This could differentiate itself from Google Slides by offering a superior mobile experience.
  • AI-Powered Presentation Assistant: An app that uses AI to help users create visually appealing and engaging presentations, including automated design suggestions, image selection, and content generation.
  • Presentation Analytics Platform: A platform that provides detailed analytics on presentation performance, including audience engagement, slide views, and key takeaways. This could help presenters optimize their content and delivery.
  • Interactive Presentation Platform: A platform that allows presenters to incorporate interactive elements into their presentations, such as polls, quizzes, and Q&A sessions.

Trends and Observations

  • Platform Disparity: A clear trend is the significant difference in user experience between the desktop and mobile versions of Google Slides. Mobile users consistently express frustration with the limited feature set and performance issues on iOS devices.
  • Educational Focus: Many users mention using Google Slides for school projects and presentations, highlighting its importance in the education sector.
  • Feature Requests: The recurring requests for transitions, animations, and improved formatting options indicate a desire for a more visually engaging and professional presentation tool.
  • Negative Sentiment on Mobile: The high percentage of 1-star reviews suggests a significant level of dissatisfaction with the mobile experience.
  • Zionist Comments: There are a few comments that mention the company's political alignment.

Conclusion

Google Slides is a valuable tool, particularly for collaborative presentations and educational use. However, the mobile app, especially on iOS, needs significant improvements to address performance issues, feature limitations, and usability problems. Prioritizing the recommendations outlined above will enhance the user experience and make Google Slides a more compelling option for mobile users. Failing to address these issues could lead users to seek alternative presentation apps that offer a better mobile experience. A focus on parity with the desktop version, particularly regarding key features like transitions and animations, is crucial.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/google-slides/id879478102?uo=2