Why Accounts?
As technology users, we have become so accustomed to making accounts for everything that most of us don’t really think about it anymore - it has just become another one of the many steps we take when downloading any new app.
At Brick, though, we wanted to be very intentional about how and why we’re adding accounts. In anything we do, we consider ourselves as users - and Zach and I figured that as users, we would want to know why accounts are part of the Brick platform.
There are a couple of reasons that we’re adding accounts:
1. So that we can provide a better user experience by allowing us to back up users’ data. Previously, we stored all user data on the phone, which sometimes resulted in quirky behavior in iOS - meaning we would lose users’ data. By setting up accounts, we can ensure the reliability and security of users’ activity and modes. As we add more features, the risk of losing users’ data will only become higher - so adding this now allows us to avoid larger issues down the road.
2. Allow us to make a better product. Prior to having accounts, Zach and I had no insight into how (or even if) people were actually using Brick. This lack of information had made it difficult to analyze where we’re succeeding, where we’re failing, and how we can make killer improvements to our product. By adding accounts, we’ll establish a foundation upon which we can innovate and build amazing future updates.
With that being said, there’s a couple of things that we want to ensure our users appreciate:
1. User data is very well protected. The data will never leave the Brick eco-system (we absolutely do not sell or share any data).
2. The addition of accounts will not affect users’ abilities to use any features in Brick - buying the Brick still gives you full access to the app. Purchase of the Brick will always include indefinite access to the core functionality of the Brick app.
When Zach and I first created Brick, we opted not to include accounts, largely so that we could get it out to users faster. The time has come, though, where accounts will help us to continue innovating and making a product we truly believe in. Thanks for joining us on this ride.
— TJ and Zach