Apple Carrier

Many Canadian low-cost cellphone carriers sell services and packages that are considered budget-friendly. Often that translates to very few features for the end-user. Budget carriers offer features like 3G data, limited talk and text options, and have a web-based portal to allow their users to view and manage their usage.

In 2020, not having an app to manage data, and an app that doesn't work most of the time at that, isn't sufficient. The solution doesn't lie in carriers developing their own apps just for the sake of having one — a quick glimpse of reviews of any phone carrier app will show that there's almost always something broken.

People aren't as loyal to phone carriers and don't trust their brand, as much as they are loyal to and trust Apple or other tech companies. Not many people enjoy dealing with their carriers — no matter how good their customer service is; it's usually dreadful.

Let Apple do what it's best at doing. Provide an app that works like a charm and is built for everyone, and call it Apple Carrier.

The Concept

The idea is that it would be a front-end developed app by Apple that comes pre-installed on iPhones, and would be linked to different carrier back-end systems and databases. This could be the win-win solution everyone has been searching for, because it allows carriers to focus on providing quality service and the latest usage information, and Apple focuses on the delivery of it.

Core Benefits for Users

• One app to manage cellular data plans across all carriers

• Seamless setup and integration into Apple ecosystem

• Linked to Apple ID for automatic iCloud backup

• No more spam texts or multiple carrier apps

• Family plan members can access their own data without sharing credentials

Core Benefits for Carriers

• Reduced R&D costs on app development and maintenance

• Focus resources on building better and more reliable networks

• One portal for all user needs — support cases, promotions, notifications

• Ability to pass savings onto consumers

• Better customer satisfaction metrics

I initially looked into designing an app if Apple were to become a carrier. After seeing how complicated it can get to become a carrier and the many issues Apple would face, I decided to rethink my strategy.

After reading carrier app reviews on the App Store, a lightbulb went off. Instead of Apple becoming a carrier, they could solve the industry's app problem.

I set up an online survey to ask people about their trust in carriers versus Apple:

The responses revealed key insights:

• "I don't need to / don't have use for it"

• "I don't like using it; the interface is complicated to use"

• "I use auto payments"

• "My parents pay for my service"

• "It doesn't work for me"

Based on my research, survey, and competitive analysis, I came up with a persona of the user that would benefit the most from this app. Because this is just a minimum viable product, I only created one persona.

Having an information architecture diagram showcasing what each screen will show helped me understand the information users can see and how they can navigate through the app. Because there was a lot of data to be shown in very minimal space, I had to make sure interacting within the app was simple, intuitive to use, and easy to navigate.

I used Apple's iOS 13 Design Kit, while adhering to Apple's Human Interface Guidelines. I made edits to the app by making it look more modern and round, which I modelled after Apple apps like the Health, Reminders, Find My, and Wallet.

Design Inspiration

The main inspiration for this app was the Apple Wallet app for Apple Card because it showcased all the necessary information in just one screen while utilizing hierarchy techniques through text and font colours.

The app features four main tabs: Home, Usage, Billing, and Support.

One unique feature is the ability to enable carrier branding within the app. Users can toggle this in settings to display their carrier's colors and branding throughout the interface.

Getting stakeholder feedback is crucial

I researched to see whether this app MVP concept has the slightest chance to become a real product. However, what I didn't do is interview different stakeholders within the telecommunications industry to get their insight and perspective into something this major.

Copy is underrated but crucial

I came up with the idea of this app and used the copy based on my carrier, TELUS. However, the copy in the Apple Carrier app has to work with the copy of other carriers.

For example: TELUS, Rogers, and Sprint apps all use "Billing" while Bell, AT&T, and Verizon apps use "Bill". It's not a significant issue, but it has the potential to become an argument within carriers.

The App Store for Phone Plans

Eventually, this can lead to Apple cutting out the middle man that sells users different plans from different carriers. Instead of physically going to a phone plan reseller, Apple can begin to have a similar service in the App Store where carriers can promote their plans.

e-SIM Support

This solution can also help e-sim providers. Having a tab for finding travel plans would make more users increasingly aware that their phones have e-sim support.

This was exploratory concept work created to demonstrate end-to-end product thinking and design process.