THE CHALLENGE

When I joined, Merlin's mobile app was unstable and the user experience felt rough around the edges. Crashes were frequent, the UI was inconsistent, and users were churning.

• Unified Streaming Engine: Rearchitected the streaming layer to normalize different response formats across Claude, GPT, and Gemini models—eliminating complex rendering bugs entirely.
• Total Codebase Stabilization: Cleared out technical debt and significantly reduced crash rates across both iOS and Android platforms simultaneously.
• UI & UX Overhaul: Modernized every screen, tightened animations, and re-thought the navigation to match the web app's powerful feel.

CORE EXPERIENCE PILLARS

I focused on making every interaction feel effortless — from the very first login to daily power use.

CLEAN AUTHENTICATION

• Distraction-Free: A minimal login experience via Email, Google, and Apple sign-in.
• Instant Access: No unnecessary steps—users jump into the app in seconds and start chatting immediately.

INTELLIGENT HOME

• Quick Actions: The home screen surfaces tools like Create Image, Scan & Solve, and Web Search immediately.
• Zero Navigation: One tap gets you exactly to the right tool without digging through complex menus.

EVERY AI MODEL, ONE TAP

• Seamless Switching: Change between Claude, GPT, and Gemini models mid-conversation without losing context.
• Smart Categorization: A custom picker categorizes brains by capability (Reasoning, Writing, etc.) to help users choose right.

ORGANIZED HISTORY

• Personal Knowledge Base: Pin important conversations, organize chats into folders, and search through your entire history.
• Smart Organization: Specifically designed the history system to feel intuitive and grow smarter alongside the user.

HOME SCREEN WIDGET

• Instant Shortcuts: iOS home screen widgets grant immediate access to chat, photo scanning, and voice recording.
• Zero-Tap Access: Connect to powerful AI tools directly from your home screen without ever opening the app itself.

TECHNICAL APPROACH