Company
Astra FM
Astra
Astra FM · Mobile App
Designing a radio experience that does not depend on the browser
Astra already had a mainly mobile audience, but listening depended on a stable connection and browser limitations. The app was designed to make listening persistent, reliable, and available offline.
Project overview
A mobile app built to maintain listening continuity and expand Astra's reach
Period
2026
Role
Product design · Research · Prototyping · Front-end implementation
Team
Product Designer · Back-end
Astra FM is an independent online radio station that provides music editorial content; the app was developed to meet two main requirements: ensuring playback can continue when the connection becomes unstable and offering an offline option, while also integrating with Astra's existing ecosystem and backend.
Research & Insight
The evidence that justified creating the app
56%
of sessions already came from mobile
44.8%
ended before 5 minutes
1,297
sessions analyzed over 92 days
53
countries reached by Astra
Opportunity
Benchmarking & Competitor Analysis
The opportunity was not to add more content, but to simplify listening
The analysis of NTS, KEXP, triple j, Radio Paradise, and WFMU showed strong references in curation, audio, and community, but also content-heavy structures. Astra took a more focused direction: radio first, immediate access, and features built around listening.
Strategy & Design Decisions
Six decisions guided the first version
Radio first
Immediate access to live listening from the first screen.
Persistent playback
Listening continues while navigating and in the background.
Offline library
A downloadable selection so listening does not depend on the connection.
Weekly refresh
The library renews on a predictable schedule, announced in advance.
Fewer steps
Reduce the distance between opening the app and hearing sound.
Built around listening
Shows, tracks and community support playback instead of competing with it.
Solution & Validation
From wireframes to a functional beta
Testing revealed specific friction points: the weekly refresh was not understood, offline status was unclear, download progress was not visible, and accessing the radio required too many steps. Each finding became a product iteration.
Finding during testingIteration madeGoal of the change
The weekly library refresh was not clearly understoodA refresh date and advance notice were addedPrevent downloaded tracks from disappearing unexpectedly
It was unclear which tracks were available offlineA visual state was added to identify downloaded contentMake offline music easier to recognize
Download progress was not visibleA progress indicator and completion confirmation were addedProvide control and confidence during downloads
Accessing the radio required too many stepsThe player was made more prominent and access was simplifiedAllow listening to start immediately
Playback could be interrupted when changing contextPersistent and background playback behavior was reinforcedMaintain listening continuity
Testers needed to know when new versions were availableUpdates were communicated through social media and beta channelsEncourage updates and collect feedback on each version
Final Design
A radio-first experience across three core screens
Results & Learnings
What was achieved and what still needs validation
The current result is a functional mobile experience ready to measure real behavior. The beta makes it possible to validate the solution before public launch without presenting future metrics as impact that has not yet been demonstrated.
iOS + Android
Beta released to validate the experience before public launch.
100 offline tracks
Downloadable library with a weekly refresh.
Persistent playback
Background listening and continuity across context changes.
Astra integration
The app connects to AzuraCast and existing sources to sync live radio, tracks, and shows.
Impact and adoption
- Testers recruited and beta activation.
- Downloads or installs.
- Average listening time.
- Weekly recurrence.
- Offline library usage.
- Interruptions or drop-offs compared with the web experience.
- Next steps: analyze behavior after public launch.
- Next steps: validate use and understanding of the weekly refresh.
- Next steps: improve stability based on playback data.
- Next steps: evaluate new features based on real usage.