Cloud-synced collaborative document editing
Apps Analyzed
Google Docs
Seamless cross-device synchronization, real-time collaboration, and version history tracking for basic text editing.
Desktop-Parity iPad Productivity
Target: Power users and professionals using high-end iPads as their primary work device.
User Frustration
mediumThe mobile UI is overly simplified and lacks multi-window support, making it impossible to reference two documents side-by-side or use advanced formatting available on desktop.
"I’m on an M5 iPad Pro. There are several instances where I need to be able to have multiple windows of docs or other google suite apps side by side, but it’s not an option. Instead, I have to close one document, find another that I would otherwise have side by side, and repeat this process endlessly."
Solution
Implement a 'Desktop Mode' for iPadOS that enables native multi-window support and a ribbon-style interface for formatting.
Why it wins: It moves away from the 'blown-up phone app' philosophy to treat the iPad as a professional workstation.
Stable Long-Form Manuscript Editing
Target: Authors and novelists writing books or long-form content (100+ pages).
User Frustration
highThe app becomes unstable with large files, specifically crashing during 'Find and Replace' operations and failing to remember the user's last scroll position.
"IT HAS BEEN ALMOST A YEAR AND THE FIND AND REPLACE BUG THAT CRASHES THIS APP STILL CONTINUES! ... It not only crashes it, it knocks me out of where I was in a rather large document and then takes me a while to find my place again."
Solution
Introduce a 'Typewriter Mode' (centered text) and a dedicated 'Manuscript Stability' engine that optimizes memory for large files and fixes the Find/Replace crash.
Why it wins: Focuses on the stability and navigation needs of long-form writers rather than short-form collaborative notes.
Academic-Grade Mobile Formatting
Target: Students and researchers who need to finalize papers (APA/MLA) on the go.
User Frustration
highEssential academic formatting tools like hanging indents, special characters, and precise line spacing are missing or hidden in the mobile version.
"I always have to fix things on my computer once I have access to this again. You can't insert special characters, create hanging indentation, remove line spacing before/ after paragraphs, browse new fonts."
Solution
A dedicated 'Formatting Toolbar' for mobile that includes one-tap buttons for hanging indents, paragraph spacing, and a special character picker.
Why it wins: It eliminates the 'finish it on the computer' workflow by providing full feature parity for document styling.
Privacy-Locked Sensitive Documents
Target: Users storing sensitive personal information, journals, or work-confidential data.
User Frustration
lowThe app lacks basic biometric security (Face ID/Touch ID) to prevent unauthorized access if the device is unlocked.
"Since Docs is its own app independent of the Drive app, Docs should have support for Face ID. For the sake of privacy, there should be an option to require Face ID before opening the Docs app and documents."
Solution
App-level and document-level biometric locking (Face ID/Passcode) for specific files.
Why it wins: It adds a layer of security specifically for the document editor, independent of the device's general lock screen.