Designed, developed & deployed
a podcast app from scratch
Built a minimal podcast ecosystem where users can discover new shows, generate podcasts from text, and enjoy distraction-free listening through an interface inspired by the warmth of a coffeehouse.
Why another podcast app
Existing podcast apps have evolved into content platforms packed with recommendations, videos, social features, and cluttered interfaces. Finding and simply listening to a podcast often takes more effort than it should.
The Brew
More than a podcast player, Podbrew is an experience inspired by the ritual of coffee. The aim was to combine thoughtful design with AI-powered creation, making it just as enjoyable to brew a podcast as it is to listen to one.
Understanding the Landscape
Before moving into the design phase, popular podcast platforms such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts, and AntennaPod were reviewed to understand common interaction patterns, usability challenges, and areas for improvement. The findings from this analysis helped define the direction of Podbrew. A design system was also created early in the project to maintain consistency across the interface and support future feature additions.
Key Findings
Content Overload: Most platforms prioritize recommendations, trending content, and promotional banners, making it difficult for users to quickly resume listening or discover podcasts intentionally.
Inconsistent Visual Identity: While many podcast apps are highly functional, few establish a memorable emotional connection. The interfaces feel generic, with little personality beyond album artwork.
Complex Navigation: Essential actions such as accessing downloads, managing subscriptions, or finding recently played episodes often require navigating through multiple screens, increasing cognitive load.
From Ideas to Screens
Google Podcasts served as the main inspiration for the overall experience. Its minimal approach to podcast listening influenced the layout and navigation, while the coffee-inspired branding gave Podbrew its own unique personality. These ideas were first explored through low-fidelity wireframes before refining the final interface.
Designing Coffee
The visual identity of Podbrew was inspired by the warmth and comfort of a freshly brewed latte. Instead of using the dark, high-contrast look common in many podcast apps, the interface embraces soft cream backgrounds and rich brown accents to create a calm and welcoming atmosphere.
The warm color palette helps reduce visual fatigue during long listening sessions, while the brown primary color reinforces the coffee-inspired branding across buttons, highlights, and interactive elements. Rounded components, generous spacing, and clean typography were chosen to keep the interface approachable and easy to navigate, allowing the content to take center stage.Every design decision was made to make Podbrew feel less like a media platform and more like a cozy coffee shop where users can relax, discover new stories, and enjoy every listen.
Design Approach
From the beginning, the goal was to make Podbrew feel like a native podcast app rather than a heavily stylized product. I intentionally kept the interface flat, minimal, and distraction-free, focusing on familiar navigation patterns and clean layouts. Every screen was designed to feel lightweight and intuitive, allowing the content to take center stage while providing an experience that felt right at home on Android
A Darker Blend
Originally, the app was designed exclusively in a light theme inspired by the warmth of a freshly brewed latte. However, feedback from user testing highlighted the need for a darker interface. In response, I designed and implemented Dark Roast Mode, introducing a dark theme that preserved the app's coffee-inspired identity while improving usability in low-light environments.
Building Beyond Designs
Development was the most unfamiliar part of this project. While I had previously worked alongside developers and contributed to implementation as a product designer, building an entire app from scratch was a completely different experience.
The app was built using Expo and React Native, with Cursor helping speed up the development process. One of the first decisions was choosing a free, open-source podcast API that balanced reliability with ease of integration.
Throughout development, every design decision had to be backed by technical thinking. Heavy visuals were avoided to keep the app lightweight, API calls were minimized to improve loading times, and choosing the right React Native modules became an important part of the process. It wasn't just about making the app look good anymore, it was about making it perform well too.
Core Features
Podbrew was designed around two features that make the experience feel more personal.
Brewed for You
Instead of relying only on trending podcasts, Podbrew learns from a user's listening habits to surface podcasts they're more likely to enjoy. As users spend more time with the app, the recommendations become more relevant, creating a personalized listening experience without overwhelming the home screen.
AI Podcast Generation
One of the most exciting features was the ability to generate podcasts from a simple text prompt. Users can enter any topic, choose a presentation style, and Podbrew turns the idea into a complete podcast.
Shipping the First Brew
Reaching the Play Store was a milestone in itself. Beyond designing and developing the app, the release involved preparing production builds, creating store assets, writing the listing, and navigating the publishing process.
Podbrew is now available on Google Play. While it has only reached a small audience so far, marketing hasn't been a priority yet. The app is aimed at a niche group of podcast listeners, and the current focus is on refining the experience based on feedback and continuing to improve the product. With more updates and visibility over time, there's plenty of room for it to grow.