I don't have an iPhone, and just a basic cell phone for emergencies... when will this function be available to people with regular computers? I am disabled. I function best on a CPU. Cell phones are too cumbersome and small. Thank you!
I can't share any timelines, but we've already started designing how this might work on web and have a lot of enthusiasm for launching it there. So: hopefully soon!
Great! That would be wonderful. I am often shoved out of social media bc I don't live on a cell phone... or have an iPhone. I would really appreciate a chat feature that I could access. Thank you! Dawn
Second this strongly! There are many folks without smart phones or a lot that prefer to use the desktop, me included! So would love to have this option as both a reader and writer :) :) glad you have already started designing how it would work!
My vote is for the desktop version. I type over 60 wpm on the keyboard, but I'm terrible typing on a screen and fat finger all the time. Very frustrating. I text using Messages for Web because I'm usually at home when I text. As a genealogist, I anticipate that my Chat responses are going to be long and contain links.
Same issues, agree wholeheartedly re: web functionality & phone suck ability. Rarely use iPad. THEN… I bought a keypad and now use it CONSTANTLY. Like right now. :)
It’s easy if you get a keyboard for your tablet instead of just using the keyboard on the screen. I find it’s just like typing on laptop keyboard. I’m a fast but not accurate typist.
Why even launch if you don't support Android which is 2/3rds of all phones? Nothing says we think our app is going to fail as much as saying "Android Support is coming soon." Most dishonest BS statement in the tech industry. Ya'll are never gonna support Android and your app will fail because you didn't support it!
I understand you folks are working on it, but this happened with the app rollout, too. Tons of delays, and we get a stripped down version. The coding can't be that different.
This is definitely on us, and we regret it, so I don't want to make excuses, but I do want to assure you that if it were possible for us to have launched simultaneously, we would have! We have some *serious* Android fans in the company, people we work with and love, and they give us heat for this too. So it's truly a priority for us to get better at this, and I'm sincerely sorry we're not there yet.
Couldn't you bring in android pros and let folks who know how to do it
get the job done? I have an iphone because it was a gift. But ignoring half? your subscribers with a change that could potentially correct one of the platform's biggest problems and presumably increase traffic and glean more business for writers doesn't sound like a great idea I paid attention to the comment that described an earlier android delay and the inferior product android users finally got. It doesn't take many like that or many people reading them to do some damage
Excited to see this new feature. I'm an Android user, so waiting (im)patiently ❤ for that! I think the desktop version will also be super helpful for a lot of people! Thank you.
And meanwhile those of us with Android phones are receiving numerous (annoying) emails that someone we subscribe to has just sent us a message (I would insert an eye roll emoji if I wasn't on my desktop, another place I can't see chat.)
I agree, those emails are super annoying, especially when you can't actually access the chat because there's no Android or desktop version. I did discover that you can unsubscribe from the chat emails. But those should not have been turned on automatically. That's spam. I did not subscribe to those, a new setting popped up turned on as the default mode?!!
It's great news and I'm looking forward for the Chat to be available on Android (I don't want to split my readers by os). It's great that Substack introduces new big features.
But I'd also like to see 5 much smaller interface improvements that would make creators' life much easier.
1. I miss the possibility to add notes to my subcribers' info that I had on Patreon but I don't have on Substack. Notes could be extremely useful, e.g. to see that subscribers are early adopters, or were warned for their rude comments, or won a prize in a quiz, etc.
2. Another info about subscribers that I had on Patreon and miss on Substack is their names. Sometimes it feels rude when you have to write an email to your subscribers without even knowing their name.
3. The next thing I miss on Substack is from Medium. There you can click 3 dots on your post to see the post stats. On Substack you have to scroll down on dashboard to see stats for your posts, it's very inconvenient when you want to see stats for an old post.
4. Another very useful feature implemented on Medium but missing on Substack is performance in time for each post. There you can see the number of readers for each of the posts for each day since they'd been published. Substack ― only daily number of readers for your entire blog
5. The last but by no means the least is the lack of the ways to contact support. Substack Help Center doesn't show any ways to contact support either by chat, email of form. My Substack subscribers write me when they have problems with subscription, because they don't have other options. Very inconvenient.
Thank you for the Chat and other new features and I hope you'll have time for these smaller fixes that would be extremely useful not just for me but for all of us here.
I’m feeling hesitant about this. I’m not sure I want more chat notifications in my life. I just like coming here to write and read. There’s peace in the lack of notifications.
When will this be coming to Android? I feel like Android is now a major player. It sort of feels like features should be rolled out for all platforms at roughly the same time.
Or don't advertise it widely until it is perhaps?
Don't get me wrong, I like the platform and want only success, and look forward to all of the features and additions... When they get here.
As many of us are trying to make the transition away from social media dependency, does anyone have tips for how to get people to sign up for your newsletter (and see it on social media) while making that transition.
Are there concerns that this new (and hopefully positive) feature will help people silo themselves even more than we already have? That is a constant concern of mine.
Love the idea. Can't wait for the Web and Android versions to launch. Seriously, if you all can surpass Spreaker (iHeart) in the number of podcast dissemination points - and make that a seamless and uncomplicated process - you will decimate other publishing outlets...
Looking forward to this once it's available outside of Apple devices. Rather frustrating receiving a million email notifications about author chats in the last hour, and being entirely unable to read them on my Android phone or even on a standard Windows PC... :P
I don't have an iPhone, and just a basic cell phone for emergencies... when will this function be available to people with regular computers? I am disabled. I function best on a CPU. Cell phones are too cumbersome and small. Thank you!
I second this. Needs a desktop version
I can't share any timelines, but we've already started designing how this might work on web and have a lot of enthusiasm for launching it there. So: hopefully soon!
Great! That would be wonderful. I am often shoved out of social media bc I don't live on a cell phone... or have an iPhone. I would really appreciate a chat feature that I could access. Thank you! Dawn
I'm also not very into phones —practically an occupational dilemma for me, given my field— and expect to love Chat once it's on web!
Second this strongly! There are many folks without smart phones or a lot that prefer to use the desktop, me included! So would love to have this option as both a reader and writer :) :) glad you have already started designing how it would work!
My vote is for the desktop version. I type over 60 wpm on the keyboard, but I'm terrible typing on a screen and fat finger all the time. Very frustrating. I text using Messages for Web because I'm usually at home when I text. As a genealogist, I anticipate that my Chat responses are going to be long and contain links.
Yes please, desktop version.
Don’t want to give you a hard time, but have you ever considered an iPad? Quite a bit larger than an iPhone, with all the features plus more
I find writing on a tablet even less practical than on a phone, personally.
I basically only use my tablet to read, watch or listen, but never ever to write.
Same issues, agree wholeheartedly re: web functionality & phone suck ability. Rarely use iPad. THEN… I bought a keypad and now use it CONSTANTLY. Like right now. :)
It’s easy if you get a keyboard for your tablet instead of just using the keyboard on the screen. I find it’s just like typing on laptop keyboard. I’m a fast but not accurate typist.
This !!!
Will you be supporting chat for Android users as well?
Android support is coming soon. :)
Why even launch if you don't support Android which is 2/3rds of all phones? Nothing says we think our app is going to fail as much as saying "Android Support is coming soon." Most dishonest BS statement in the tech industry. Ya'll are never gonna support Android and your app will fail because you didn't support it!
Thanks -- this could be a really useful addition!
Yall keep rolling out more features that are incredibly useful! Thanks so much!
I'd love to try it. Not getting an iPhone, though. 🙄 #noloveforandroid #again
Truly cannot wait to get it going on Android, and very sorry for the delay.
I understand you folks are working on it, but this happened with the app rollout, too. Tons of delays, and we get a stripped down version. The coding can't be that different.
This is definitely on us, and we regret it, so I don't want to make excuses, but I do want to assure you that if it were possible for us to have launched simultaneously, we would have! We have some *serious* Android fans in the company, people we work with and love, and they give us heat for this too. So it's truly a priority for us to get better at this, and I'm sincerely sorry we're not there yet.
If you know any Android engineers, we need them https://substack.com/jobs
Just shared your link on LinkedIn. Thanks for providing it, Bailey!
I'll be glad to share this!
Couldn't you bring in android pros and let folks who know how to do it
get the job done? I have an iphone because it was a gift. But ignoring half? your subscribers with a change that could potentially correct one of the platform's biggest problems and presumably increase traffic and glean more business for writers doesn't sound like a great idea I paid attention to the comment that described an earlier android delay and the inferior product android users finally got. It doesn't take many like that or many people reading them to do some damage
Excited to see this new feature. I'm an Android user, so waiting (im)patiently ❤ for that! I think the desktop version will also be super helpful for a lot of people! Thank you.
We'll have it ready very soon!
🤔
So excited to engage with my community on a closer level! Thanks, Substack!!
And meanwhile those of us with Android phones are receiving numerous (annoying) emails that someone we subscribe to has just sent us a message (I would insert an eye roll emoji if I wasn't on my desktop, another place I can't see chat.)
I will however try to wait patiently, honestly!
I agree, those emails are super annoying, especially when you can't actually access the chat because there's no Android or desktop version. I did discover that you can unsubscribe from the chat emails. But those should not have been turned on automatically. That's spam. I did not subscribe to those, a new setting popped up turned on as the default mode?!!
The iOS folks are always first!
Seems good. Waiting to see it on Android.
It's great news and I'm looking forward for the Chat to be available on Android (I don't want to split my readers by os). It's great that Substack introduces new big features.
But I'd also like to see 5 much smaller interface improvements that would make creators' life much easier.
1. I miss the possibility to add notes to my subcribers' info that I had on Patreon but I don't have on Substack. Notes could be extremely useful, e.g. to see that subscribers are early adopters, or were warned for their rude comments, or won a prize in a quiz, etc.
2. Another info about subscribers that I had on Patreon and miss on Substack is their names. Sometimes it feels rude when you have to write an email to your subscribers without even knowing their name.
3. The next thing I miss on Substack is from Medium. There you can click 3 dots on your post to see the post stats. On Substack you have to scroll down on dashboard to see stats for your posts, it's very inconvenient when you want to see stats for an old post.
4. Another very useful feature implemented on Medium but missing on Substack is performance in time for each post. There you can see the number of readers for each of the posts for each day since they'd been published. Substack ― only daily number of readers for your entire blog
5. The last but by no means the least is the lack of the ways to contact support. Substack Help Center doesn't show any ways to contact support either by chat, email of form. My Substack subscribers write me when they have problems with subscription, because they don't have other options. Very inconvenient.
Thank you for the Chat and other new features and I hope you'll have time for these smaller fixes that would be extremely useful not just for me but for all of us here.
this is why Substack is deserving of the praise by so many.
I’m feeling hesitant about this. I’m not sure I want more chat notifications in my life. I just like coming here to write and read. There’s peace in the lack of notifications.
I’ve definitely turned mine off, but would like to feel part of a community to check in on my time
When will this be coming to Android? I feel like Android is now a major player. It sort of feels like features should be rolled out for all platforms at roughly the same time.
Or don't advertise it widely until it is perhaps?
Don't get me wrong, I like the platform and want only success, and look forward to all of the features and additions... When they get here.
We're working fast so we can have Android to you very soon!
I agree, they should have waited to roll them out simultaneously. But also, Don't opt me into emails. I didn't ask for
I'm really excited to try this new feature!
As many of us are trying to make the transition away from social media dependency, does anyone have tips for how to get people to sign up for your newsletter (and see it on social media) while making that transition.
Are there concerns that this new (and hopefully positive) feature will help people silo themselves even more than we already have? That is a constant concern of mine.
And keep up the innovation, Substack!
Sarah these two posts may be helpful!
Bringing your Twitter followers to Substack: https://on.substack.com/p/bringing-your-twitter-followers-to
Bringing your Instagram followers to Substack: https://on.substack.com/p/bringing-followers-from-instagram
Ok, next issue. My app is not opening the messages because I have Android. How much longer before we will be able to use this with Android?
🙌🏻
Very cool. Can't wait to explore this!
Love the idea. Can't wait for the Web and Android versions to launch. Seriously, if you all can surpass Spreaker (iHeart) in the number of podcast dissemination points - and make that a seamless and uncomplicated process - you will decimate other publishing outlets...
Looking forward to this once it's available outside of Apple devices. Rather frustrating receiving a million email notifications about author chats in the last hour, and being entirely unable to read them on my Android phone or even on a standard Windows PC... :P
Sorry, I know it's frustrating. We promise we are working fast so Android is available to you soon.
Sorry you have to put up with all of us Android users descending on the announcement. ;)
They did it to themselves