Steem-Enabled Apps Series #1: eSteem Android (Legacy, v2) Competitive Analysis by a First-Time User

Repositeemapp/esteem

Introduction

To review eSteem (on Android - new and old) and how it competes with the marketplace for Steem Android alternative clients (namely, Partiko).

Post Body

Big Wins v2: Access Pin! A working trending/hot feed! Retroactive notifications (from before eSteem login)!
Big Fails v2: Clicked on Rewards, got an error status code 404! Worked the 2nd time! Only 1k downloads!

Alright, alright, I was going to come here and start this essay by saying that (extra-)gamifying Steem through points like Partiko had done was genius and made Steem even funner - for good, evil, fun and profit, inclusive - and that they were leagues beyond eSteem's offering. Lo and behold, they have a secret unreleased v2 app that incorporates these point-collecting features - and where Partiko had a 4.7/5 Android Play Store rating, and eSteem Mobile Legacy only had 4.2, I believe that when the bugs are worked out of eSteem v2 it'll blow Partiko's reviews out of the water!

I really do like the added security feature of the access pin. It allows me to remain logged into my Steem account (which they've allowed you to access directly or via SteemConnect, if you trust that platform (you wouldn't be alone) - another +1 Win!)

It looks as though they'll support video additionally on top of static image, as there's another button in the UI to accomplish this. At the moment it mirrors the image taking capability, but if they integrate IPFS and allow you to take Snapchat-like updates it would evolve into a very interesting tag all on it's own - crazy eyes and faces galore, publicly and immutably for you and your friends - frienemies and enemies, to boot - to share and share a laugh!

EDIT: It seems I got ahead of myself. The other button it to upload an image, and the one I've highlighted is to take an image - was confused as I had accepted a permission to take video :) This does make a good idea for an ideas utopian-io post... pending!

![1-2.png](

In short- while both versions are indeed buggy, the v2 is inherently less buggy and a good step in the right direction towards release. Should there be an eSteem community SMT that backs and is tradeable against the points in the app in the near/sometime future, they might get a bit of a valuation we could speculate to be pretty darned large, given eSteem Mobile Legacy's market share of 100k+!

Note that opensource is great - I actually ported eSteem awhile ago to work on WhaleShares, with plans to repeat that process a number of times - before my Google Play Developer got banned when I had about 20 users on WhalesApp at a good ol' rate of about 15% beneficiary to myself. Got banned for 'affiliate traffic spam' getting a webview for that other blockchain VICE site, if you follow my train of thought... What a loss!

Conclusion

eSteem may have lost a battle that wasn't being fought against Partiko - but their unreleased, secret v2 App (how did I even get access, I wonder?) destroyed any misgivings I may have had. I hope you had fun reviewing this short little (hopefully fun to read!) review!

Resources

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.esteem.mobile&hl=e//play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.netsolutions.esteem&hlay.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.partiko.android&hl=en_CA

Series Backlinks

This is #1!