User experience aside, I reported several actual bugs in the Android app during the closed Beta. Several of these ended up in the public release. And other users are finding even more now that everyone has access. Some features are actually unfinished and unusable. I'm actually very excited to see what Common Goals can do, but I was let down because it only half worked.
These shortcomings are much more disappointing than the UI change in general. If the new features were usable on both platforms and very obvious bugs were fixed, people might be more open to understanding what the actual intended use of these new features is. But with the existing app functionality backsliding into bugs, and the new functionality not working properly, it makes a negative first impression worse.
I get that bunq wants to move fast, but what would you lose by releasing it two weeks or a month later so you can actually release your true vision to the world? There's undoubtedly some exceptional people building these apps. But if there's one lesson to take home from this launch: take your time to get it right. When taking a risk like this, it's better to delay the launch to get it right, than fall flat on your face. You're still going to be spending that same time on fixing those same issues, but now you've also squandered your reputation, have to spend additional capacity on damage control and the people working on them get stressed out in the process.
If you then consider the questionable design changes, it's just not a good look in general. Having used the app since the start of the beta, I'm still not digging it, and it's still the same issues I called into question on day one. I think many of us would have gladly waited much longer for a more well-rounded experience.
