Three Strong Trends of Web3 UX from Friend.tech

In August Coinbase launched its L2 blockchain Base. Among the most popular products like Uniswap and Pancakeswap, Base incubated one fresh project — Friend.tech.

Friend.tech is a decentralized social network where users can buy “keys” (stocks) of other users and sell them later for profit. It became popular not only because of this idea but also thanks to three smart UX solutions you can use in your projects.

Trend #1: Progressive Web Application

Most dApps are web applications. To use Uniswap, you have to open the website. Web apps are not as comfortable to use as regular apps, especially on mobile or slightly outdated desktops and laptops, as browsers consume RAM and CPU too much.

Some dApps have their native apps versions, but those are mostly crypto wallets. They have to be regular apps to use built-in RNGs and to securely store private keys. But there’s a trap: Google and Apple will charge a 30% fee on internal purchases and might not allow to publish an app with built-in crypto payments.

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are something between native and web apps. They store some resources on the device and have their icons on the home screen, but the app itself works in the browser. The simplest explanation is that the PWAs use the browser like a virtual machine.

The first advantage of PWAs is that they offer better response time, a more convenient interface, can use “push notifications” technology and other features of native apps. The user can’t see the difference.

The second advantage is that PWAs do not need Google Play or App Store, so they don’t have to follow their crypto bans and pay 30% fees.

The third advantage is that PWAs reduce the risks of falling into a scam. There are fake Ledgers and Trezor wallets in the App Store, and some users might take them for legit apps. But with PWA the only way to install the app is to get it from the official website.

The point is simple: Friend.tech is one of a few dApps that can be installed on a smartphone like a regular app thus bringing a familiar user experience without compromising at costs and speed.

Trend #2: Built-In Custodial Wallets

One of the challenges with Web3 onboarding is the need to connect your wallet every 3–24 hours of using a dApp and to confirm every transaction in your wallet. Definitely, it is safer, but the UX is just monstrous.

Some dApps tried to solve the problem with allowances — users confirm the maximum sum they allow the dApp to spend and then use the dApp without constant confirmations. For example, web dApp NEAR Social does this.

Friend.tech solved this with a built-in custodial wallet that is being created when users fund their accounts, i.e. bridge their ETH from Ethereum to Base. By doing so, Friend.tech app leverages Base’s throughput and allows to buy and sell “keys” almost instantly.

Trend #3: Permissions in a Permissionless Environment

This is not about pure UX, but more about how the dApp arranged the hype around its launch. We got used to the fact that most dApps are open to any user who has a wallet and tokens to pay the fees. We accept that some dApps require to pay for the services upfront or buy their tokens to use them. Friend.tech is using an invite model instead, so you can’t join the dApp if you didn’t get an invite.

Next, Friend.tech offers what is or might be unavailable in other way: chatting with influencers, earning on someone else fame and directly monetizing fans, as from every “key” traded the person earns 5% fee.

An interesting way how the story around Friend.tech twisted is that the Onlyfans content creators started joining Friend.tech, too. Unlike NFTs, the content they share with their “keys” holders is totally private.

In total, Friend.tech users get access to exclusive assets, possibilities, and content.

Conclusion

The ever-changing landscape of Web3 technology presents both challenges and opportunities for business owners and developers alike. The rise of unique solutions like Friend.tech shows how thoughtful UX design and smart contract integration can dramatically improve user engagement and overall experience.

At Dexola we’re committed to staying at the forefront of industry trends to provide our clients with advanced solutions and to guide them through the complexities of the blockchain world.