Berlin-based SoundCloud is a popular service to upload, record, promote and share originally-created sounds and they’ve long had a decent iOS app on the App Store. Today, the company has issued a major iPhone-focused redesign that focuses on much simplified one-thumb navigation through the use of gestures to seek and skip tracks.
The new SoundCloud for iPhone version 3.0 also brings the ability to open another user’s profile straight from a track or playlist and includes other enhancements, detailed after the break…
From the blurb:
Tap to play and pause. Swipe to skip tracks. Slide the waveform to scrub. The app is beautifully simple to use. But your thumb won’t need to work too hard – it’s easier than ever to hear more of the world’s sounds.
In addition to the simplified one-thumb controls, you’ll appreciate a more prominently featured cover artwork during playback and its seamless sync of your likes and playlists.
However, if you used to upload your sounds and music to Sound Cloud through the app, bad news: the Record functionality has been removed. As a result, you’ll need to use SoundCloud’s web interface to upload your sounds or a dedicated app such as Retronyms’ free AudioCopy, which SoundCloud itself recommends.
This is part of SoundCloud’s move to becoming a mobile listening experience.
SoundCloud was overhauled with iOS 7-friendly look back in November and today’s update builds on that. Interestingly, it’s asked Apple to remove SoundFlake, the popular SoundCloud client, from the App Store citing user confusion over UI similarities.
Highlights include:
- Beautifully simple design. Cleaner look. Simpler controls
- ‘One thumb’ interface. Play, pause, skip and explore on the go
- Open another user’s profile straight from a track or playlist
- Your likes and playlists are now all in one place, making it easier to play more of your favorite tracks and artists
Further information is available in SoundCloud’s blog post and on its website. For an in-depth look at the redesign, check out the reviews by The Verge and The Next Web.
Download SoundCloud free in the App Store.
iOS 7.0 or later is required.
The app is being distributed as a universal binary, but the iPad portion has not been revamped at this time. According to Sound Cloud, iPad updates are being worked on for a future release.