Learning in Public: Fixing Our Beta Distribution Flow

Byron Walker

22 May 2025 — 2 min read

When we launched the beta for Kinnectd, we were excited. 50+ early testers had signed up, ready to experience what we’d built.

To distribute the app, we chose Firebase App Distribution. It made sense. One tool to cover both iOS and Android. Integrated with our CI/CD. Part of the Firebase ecosystem we were already using.

It felt like a no-brainer.
But what’s easy for developers… isn’t always easy for users.

The Problems We Ran Into

Within hours of inviting testers, we ran into a wave of unexpected friction:

iOS users hit “untrusted developer” warnings and install confusion
Android users ran into permission issues and clunky downloads
We had to walk several testers through the install process manually

The experience wasn’t just inconvenient - it broke trust. And for a platform centered around privacy, family, and connection, we couldn’t afford that.

The Pivot: TestFlight + Google Play Testing

We’re now switching to:

TestFlight for iOS
Google Play Closed Testing for Android

These tools provide:

A familiar and trustworthy install experience
Automatic updates with no extra installs
Cleaner onboarding with invite links that just work

Most importantly: our testers already know how to use them. There’s no learning curve, no download buttons from foreign-looking websites, and no friction.

What We Learned

Like any good pivot, this came from listening to real feedback and acknowledging something hard:

Firebase App Distribution was convenient for us — not for our users.

Here’s what we’ll take with us moving forward:

Developer tools are not always user-friendly
Users don’t want to troubleshoot - they want to tap and go
The first impression matters more than the deployment speed
Iterate fast, but optimize for the people who matter most: your users

🚀 Building Kinnectd in Public

At Kinnectd, we’re building a family-first platform that helps people stay connected across generations. Legacy, memories, and deep connections all in one private space.

We’re learning a lot as we go, and we’ll keep sharing those lessons publicly.

And if you’d like to join the Kinnectd beta, sign up at blog.kinnectd.com. We’re ready to welcome you now with a much better install experience.

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