Evernote has been acquired — here’s how its new owner can fix it

For some time, Evernote was on prime of the world. The Californian note-taking app surfed the 2000s tech productiveness increase to turn out to be the chief in its subject. But then it fell from grace, changing into sluggish, buggy, and costly. Users deserted the platform, heading in droves to different note-taking apps.

And it appears to be like like extra change is afoot. On January 3, the sale of Evernote to the Italian firm Bending Spoons was lastly confirmed.

On one hand, this may very well be regarding for remaining customers. Evernote will not be an impartial firm, that means there may very well be large modifications to its present course. But alternatively… good?

I used to be an Evernote consumer for near a decade earlier than I switched final yr. Things had merely gotten too dangerous with the bloated, gradual, and cumbersome software program, so I turned to Bear, a streamlined and delightful little bit of app.

With a new owner, Evernote now has a chance for a clear begin. Bending Spoons already has a set of client apps which might be fashionable, highly effective, and intuitive, and we now have to consider the Italian firm will use its experience to form a new Evernote.

The query is what ought to it do? How can Bending Spoons convey Evernote to its former glory? Well, we now have some concepts.

Speed up Evernote apps

This was one of many most important the reason why I moved away from Evernote. While I used and beloved a number of the app’s options (resembling internet clipping and doc scanning), the primary purpose I used Evernote was for, properly, notes.

While the pace of writing and looking on desktop was acceptable, the identical wasn’t true on cellular gadgets — particularly in the event that they had been a number of years outdated.

If Bending Spoons desires to convey the shine again to Evernote, making its vary of apps as lightning quick as potential can be a great begin.

Remove the bloat…

In the mid-2010s, as Evernote was within the midst of accepting large quantities 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 an entire load of options into the app and tried to be lively on as many shops as potential.

Much of this was poorly deliberate and examined, resulting in the software program being infamously described as a “bug-ridden elephant” by Jason Kincaid.

While there have been upgrades to Evernote since which have improved total efficiency, it nonetheless feels that the app is making an attempt to do an excessive amount of. Of course, having multimedia capabilities and integration into a number of apps is nice for some folks, however Evernote’s core mission must be note-taking. Instead, it feels targeted on issues like chat, calendar, and duties, regardless of these areas of its software program performing far worse than rivals.

Bending Spoons ought to both have 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 outdoors of its core little bit of software program — and a few of these must be folded again into the primary product.

On one hand, combining these apps into Evernote is antithetical to the above level of lowering bloat, however hear me out.

The software program has tried to do most of the stuff you don’t need a note-taking app to do. Why, for instance, would I ever wish to chat on the identical factor I’m writing on?

But have a look at these apps above once more. They embrace a sketcher, a doc scanner, and a handwriting app — all issues which might be helpful to taking notes. Instead of being walled off from Evernote and largely forgotten about, these must be key options to make the method of taking notes as highly effective as potential.

Reduce Evernote’s value

Cost was an enormous ingredient of me abandoning Evernote. At the time, I used to be paying €70 a yr to take notes. That’s a foolish sum of money — particularly with how I used it.

I by no means received 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? Something that provides all the essential options that folks want?

Finally, Evernote should respect customers

If Bending Spoons desires to save lots of Evernote and for it to reclaim some its former glory, the very first thing it ought to do is respect customers. Stop pushing upgrades on folks at each single potential alternative. Stop being so overly restrictive on the variety of gadgets people can use the free model with. Stop ignoring customers’ complaints.

Instead, there must be a tradition of respect and dialogue, treating those that use Evernote like folks, reasonably than strolling greenback indicators.

Yes, Evernote has taken a fall, however it nonetheless has a robust sufficient model and sufficient followers to turn out to be particular once more. The days of the unbridled tech increase are accomplished, however there’s nonetheless a spot for glorious apps doing easy issues properly. Let’s see if Bending Spoons can make that occur.