I re-downloaded the leading meditation apps after a few years away, and I was surprised by what I saw. So much! Like, a lot. A lot, a lot. Screens and screens of options: meditations for sleep, meditations for exercise, bedtime stories, soothing soundtracks of ambient music with new age influences, DJ mixes, nature sounds, literal work-outs and bodyweight exercises, celebrity endorsements, mindset master classes, and more. It was, well, overwhelming—overwhelming in the way that 40 flavors of toothpaste is overwhelming, the kind of overwhelm brought upon by merchandising run amok, obscuring the core offering, and gobbling up the interface. I wondered if there were now more zen writing apps than zen meditation apps. And then, yes, I interrupted myself, noted my judging, and took a breath.
From App Sprawl by Frank Chimero
Frank Chimero on Meditation apps
