Introduction
Very recently, LBRY Inc. released the Odysee app for iOS. In case you don't know what Odysee is, it is a video platform that is built on the decentralized blockchain LBRY protocol. There are multiple YouTube alternatives such as BitChute and Rumble. However, while those platforms advertise themselves as "free speech platforms", they are still centralized and you never know if they will one day resort to censorship. This is why, in my opinion, Odysee is more preferable with its more censorship-resistant nature.
Unfortunately, as you may have guessed from the title, the Odysee app is only available for iOS. That means if you're on Android, you're out of luck, but you can download the LBRY app. Ironically, the LBRY app is not available on iOS. Hopefully, both the LBRY and Odysee apps will be available on both ecosystems as Rumble is currently ahead of LBRY/Odysee in that department.
How Does It Work?
Ever since I discovered Odysee, it has been my go-to platform to watch videos. When I found out that it received a mobile app, I downloaded it to my iPhone and tried it out for a week. Currently, the app is on version 0.2.1.
The app is organized into three sections: Home, Following, and Wallet. Under the "Home" tag, the app shows the most trending videos on the platform. Additionally, on the top, you can browse through videos of a specific category such as gaming, news, and tech. Oh, and you can also navigate the app in landscape mode.
The "Following" tab is the "Subscriptions" equivalent. In this section, the app will show you the most recent uploads of the channels you follow. If you want to search for new uploads of just one channel, then you just need to tap the specific bubble on the top. If you want to go back to viewing all uploads, just tap on the channel's bubble again.
The last tab is where your wallet is. It will show you your current LBC balance along with the estimated USD value. Underneath, the app shows you your address in case you want to receive more LBC and you also have the option to send LBC to another user.
On the top right corner, you can view your own channels. With the recent update, you are able to add and delete your channels as well as editing your profiles. Unfortunately, there is no upload functionality, so if you were planning on shooting videos on your iPhone and upload them through the Odysee app, you can't do it (yet).
When you watch a video, the functionality is the same as it is on the YouTube app. You can rate it with a fire or a slime, share the video, and follow a channel. However, tipping in unavailable, so if you want to do that, you have to do it on desktop. When you tap on the comments, it will open the comments section where you can put in your input.
If you want to switch to another video, you just need to tap the down button on the top and the app will minimize the video to the bottom of the screen. The video will keep playing as you browse for other videos.
How's The Experience?
The app is pretty snappy and responsive. I also greatly appreciate how it is lightweight, clocking in at only 5.8 MB in contrast to YouTube's whopping 213.7 MB footprint. Switching between tabs is seamless and my iPhone had little issues playing any videos. And the best part? No ads!
With that said, there are notable flaws that need to be fixed. Sometimes when I tried to switch from one video to another, the app will crash and I'll be kicked to the home screen. This hasn't happened recently, but don't be surprised if the same thing happens to you. The comments section lacks any sorting functionality, so you're stuck with them being sorted in chronological order. Comments also lack any timestamps. On the bright side, responding to comments is a non-hassle. The last big flaws are ones I already mentioned earlier: no uploading and no tipping functionalities.
Overall, the Odysee app has a lot going for it and hopefully, LBRY Inc. will address the aforementioned flaws.
