Skylight App

What it does

Skylight is a companion app for a line of physical smart displays, including digital photo frames and calendars. Its primary job is to act as a remote control, allowing users to create an account, activate their devices, and send content to them from anywhere. Users can upload photos and videos, create personalized digital cards, and even send animated doodles directly to a loved one's frame.

Where it shines

Skylight excels in making a potentially technical process, hardware setup, feel intuitive and integrated. The onboarding flow (00:45) is a great example, guiding users through device activation step-by-step rather than leaving them to find a settings menu. The app's creative tools are another highlight. The 'Draw a Doodle' feature includes a delightful replay animation (04:56), which transforms a simple drawing into a personal, moving message for the recipient. This small touch adds significant emotional value to the content being shared.

UX highlights

Task-Oriented Onboarding: The app prioritizes device setup from the very beginning, focusing the user on the single most important action they need to take.
Clear Branching Logic: During setup, the app smartly asks if the device is a gift (01:05), tailoring the experience for a key use case.
Direct Media Editing: When sending a photo, editing tools for captions and doodles (02:13) are presented directly in the sending flow, making it easy to add a personal touch.
Feature-Rich Sending Options: The main action screen (01:59) provides multiple ways to send content, including picking from a gallery, using the camera, sending a card, or drawing a doodle.
Seamless Permission Requests: The photo library permission prompt (02:02) appears at the exact moment the user taps 'Pick from Gallery,' making the request perfectly contextual.
Animated Feedback: The app uses a charming animation of an envelope opening when a card is sent (04:03), providing clear and delightful confirmation.

Monetization & growth

Monetization is centered around the 'Skylight Plus' subscription. A paywall is presented at the end of the initial device setup (01:15), acting as a soft gate before the user receives their activation code. It clearly lists the premium features unlocked, such as cloud backup, online access, and greeting cards. The yearly plan is highlighted as 'Most popular' and shows a 'Save 16%' discount to encourage a longer commitment. The 'Send a Card' and 'Draw a Doodle' features are both marked as 'New,' which can drive curiosity and push users toward the premium plan to try them out.

Who it’s for

The app is designed for owners of Skylight frames and calendars, as well as their family and friends. The primary user is likely someone who wants a simple way to share moments with loved ones who may not be tech-savvy, such as older relatives. The gifting flow suggests it's also for people buying the physical product for others. The simple interface and focus on emotional content like photos and doodles cater to a non-technical audience focused on connection.

Notes & opportunities

While the onboarding is effective, it is quite long and text-heavy. The value of the 'Plus' subscription is shown before the user has even activated their first frame, which might feel premature. Introducing the paywall after the user has successfully sent their first photo could be a stronger approach, as they would have experienced the core value first. Additionally, the main dashboard at 01:47 feels a bit empty before activation; a more welcoming state could improve the initial impression.