App updates

(c-m) #1

I wish that Monzo didn’t force app updates unless they address a specific security issue, or at least do like Whatsapp does and give you 30 days notice within the app about a coming update.

It’s extremely inconvenient when out and about, not just abroad, or somewhere with poor 3g/wifi and be forced to update the app whilst at the checkout, wanting to check your balance/pin etc…

Otherwise, all good, apart from not being able to choose our own expense categories, but I reckon Monza are keeping them fixed for marketing purposes.

(Marta) #2

Hmmm, I can only speak for Android OS, but this setting is fully controlled by user, not by Monzo. There are 2 ways you can control this:

  1. You can disable auto-update for Monzo app. Go to play store, find Monzo app and tap upper right corner to disable checkbox.

    image.png405×720 122 KB

  2. Amend setting for all apps. Go to Play Store app, tap hamburger, then Settings and choose the one you prefer:

    image.png405×720 55.6 KB

I don’t know how ios works, but I would expect similar level of control? :smiley:

(c-m) #3

The thread isn’t about stopping automatic updates. That is neither here nor there in relation to the original post.

It is about Mozo forcing updates on users. i.e not able to log into the app unless you update, even when the update does not contain any critical security patches. The app is around 100mb (IIRC), it’s very easy to get caught short on a bad connection, especially abroad, and need to log into the app, only to find you can’t unless you download the latest update.

(Marcus Nailor, Hot Coral Detective) #4

Ngl, I thought that was exactly what you were referring to, so I completely understand why @Avishai posted what they did :slight_smile:

Is this on iOS or Android?

I’ve been using Monzo for ~9 months now and I’ve never been unable to access the app. How soon after an app update do you see the error you speak of?

I.e. if you open the Monzo app on Monday, it works fine and you exit it.
Then on Tuesday you see an update in the Play / App store, you choose not to update yet.
On Tuesday does the Monzo app still work?

OR

Does it take, 1?, 2?, 7?, days to “not be able to log into the app”

(c-m) #5

It doesn’t really matter whether iOS or Android. When app developers force an update they force an update.

This happened recently with Monzo. I was in Spain. Wanted to quickly glance at my balance, but although the app would let me login initially, it would not let me proceed to do anything within the app unless I updated to the latest version. The latest version did not contain any security updates according to the changelog.

Starling do this as well. It is bad practice.

Take Barlcays for example. They will notify you within the app on login that there is a new version available, and you’ll have a certain period of time to get that (usually weeks), to get that version before the current app becomes unusable.

Whatsapp do the same. Usually 30 days to update before you can no longer use the app. This allows people abroad or with poor connections ample to time to update.

I understand when security issues are found then updates should be mandatory, but otherwise it would be nice to have warning if only to avoid getting caught short.

(Herp Derp) #6

I have never had an update forced on me, if I want to update I will if I don’t I don’t so I have no idea what this thread is about.

(c-m) #7

I did. That is what the thread is about. Perhaps being away for a month or more meant I’d missed some updates inbetween.

At the time it was a minor inconvenience, but still worth posting about to see what the Mozon team have to say.

(Alex Sherwood) #8

Hi Mike, you definitely have a point here & a few other users have said that they’ve been caught out by this issue on Twitter.

Unfortunately I can’t find the tweets with a screenshot of the upgrade prompt screen (there’s no way around it) or the reply from the team with the explanation now.

But (& this has been confirmed to my by one of the support team), Monzo used this prompt to force users to update the app so that they could complete the new verification process -

It’s an exceptional circumstance so you won’t see this screen every time there’s a new update or because you haven’t updated for x days. But since Monzo will have to freeze the accounts of users who don’t complete the verification process, hopefully you’ll agree that they chose the lesser of two evils here.

Having said that, I’d hope that there’s a way that this can be improved in the future so that users in your situation are less likely to be caught out.

(Tristan Thomas) #9

We only force updates if necessary (unless you’re very, very out of date). Almost always (on iOS), we do warning screens first so that you’re not locked out. Sorry it’s annoying sometimes — unfortunately, when we do it with little warning, it’s normally because we don’t have a choice and it’s the best option :slight_smile:

Hope that makes sense!

:cn: Monzo in China [Discussion]
(Marta) #10

@tristan & @alexs Thanks guys, that explains a lot. I have Monzo app on auto-update, so I never really noticed this. While I initially misunderstood @mikedefieslife, I totally see what he meant in his following posts (and I wouldn’t like that either!).

I hope that Monzo keeps this approach, I think it’s balanced and definitely has user needs in the first place - well, apart from situations when it’s not possible, but that seems like a rare thing!