Focus - Productivity Timer Reviews

Stops for no reason with no notice

I create therefore I am.

Sessions started on the Apple Watch stop for no reason and without warning. This is junk.

Good easy to use app

joe hem

It does the focus sessions and breaks really well. I tried a different pomodoro style app first and it drained my battery. This one doesn’t. Haven’t used the pro features, but they seem interesting. Don’t like having a monthly/yearly fee for it so I probably won’t end up using it. Even though the info could be interesting.

Use This App Every Day

kmj3535

I tried a number of Pomodoro timer apps across my phone and Apple Watch. They were all pretty good on the phone. Some had a little more functionality than others including premium services. The big issue was with the watch part of the app. I wanted the watch and phone apps to sync and I wanted to have the watch as the main controller while working. I work from home and often don’t know where my phone is during the day but the watch is always strapped on. With Focus the session modifications are managed on the phone. Once they’re set up the sessions can be controlled solely on the watch. I had questions about a couple things and emailed the developer. He was very responsive and helpful. So far I haven’t purchased the premium product but plan on buying it soon.

Not what I thought I paid for

WannaBeFree

I paid for tasks. That was an upgrade. The tasks are not integrated to the pomodoros and the tasks are NOT worth the upgrade. Please avoid my mistake. I’ll keep looking for an app that I can specify the pomodoros beyond work and rest. The tasks were poorly designed... not integrated into pomodoros. Will seek a return.

Dark mode IAPs: an accessibility perspective

Anahata108

For photosensitive users, dark modes aren't just an aesthetics choice. For these users, especially those looking at their devices all day, dark modes aren't just about being pretty. Dark modes are fundamentally required to make the app useable at all. Dark modes are an *accessibility* feature. They make the app useable in the same way that AssistiveTouch or VoiceOver do. Would you charge more for accessibility features? No. That would be terrible. Dark mode is an accessibility feature in exactly the same way other features are. Night Shift, True Tone, and the lesser known Reduce White Point aren't enough for some users: dark modes are the only way for them to use apps they can look at for hours at a time. Furthermore, some users have "floaters" in their vision caused by fluids shifting in their eyes. They cannot comfortably use black on white UIs as a result. Dark modes are the main way users with these floaters can interact with their devices. All that said: I realise that app developers need to make money. That's fine, really! I work as a developer myself. I understand. But charging for an accessibility feature is the wrong way to do it. I'd be happier making a *donation*, and getting nothing, than I am having to pay to configure the app to be useable in a way that doesn't cause me eyestrain and discomfort. Dark mode is an accessibility feature. I shouldn't have to pay to make the app accessible.

About starting week

inhamong

I’m satisfied with this app. The last setting I want is to adjust the starting week from Monday not Sunday... Could you make it possible next update? Thank you for your app~

Useful but why a subscription?

Eddie E. R.

I understand the need for continued support but other similar or even more useful apps work without structure. I don’t mind paying a one time price for an app. I would pay 10-12 dollars for this at a one time purchase price. Maybe add a subscription for an optional monthly donation on top of that. Other apps exist that more or less do the same job, with stats and all, for a sub 3 dollar one time charge. I’m giving this one a try with those but I feel like I’m starting off on the wrong foot already with Focus.

Good, can be better

Human mammal

Overall nice simple design and set of features, and haven’t seen any bugs. With some changes and additions I think it can be the go-to app for Pomodoro. Having Watch support is a huge bonus as it’s very useful to have access to that when I’m doing one thing or another. I’m using it on a Watch 4 and iPhone Watch The Watch app doesn’t work unless it’s connected to the phone, please add an untethered mode that syncs when the phone is in range again. The end session notification is much too subtle. It’s so easy to miss that I can’t use it, for example when playing the piano you don’t notice the sounds or tapping. Developer; use the timer app as a good example, that is impossible to miss. iPhone Main screen swiping is a little confusing, but that’s a small nit. Overall looks clean and nice. First, please add HealthKit integration. It’s known that focused concentration is a great way to stave off cognitive decline as we age, and important at any age. HealthKit is the best way to track this data, just use “Focus” as the entry tag. The main complaint is the Pro subscription model. That’s the business model the developer decided on as their right, but I think it’s a mistake. This is a really simple bit of functionality, paying a continuous subscription doesn’t make any sense to me. One reason is that people who Pomodoro typically have a set routine with it. Most creatives seem to max out at 4-6 sessions/day, and do it every day. It would be nice to track this but hardly necessary, because it’s habitual. My point is that I believe a single paid in-app purchase (up to say $10) makes much more sense than a subscription - personally I’ll probably not use it and delete until/if such pricing becoming available, because there are other free apps that have the same functionality (but this one is overall cleaner and I’d prefer using it). So developer, my suggestion is to add the few Watch improvements above, and to reconsider the business model.

No Complications

Mjcritchfield

Not sure why, but the app description talks about the complications you can use with this app for your Apple Watch... but they aren’t showing up for me. Am i doing something wrong? Is something missing? Need to know more. Thanks!

Siri Integration Not Working

GlobalMusic

Asking Siri to start a session doesn’t actually start a session in the app (and there are all sorts of notification issues with ios12). Hope these bugs will be sorted out ASAP.

Focus - Productivity Timer Reviews – Page 3