During Sunday's Verizon IndyCar Series Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio, I was able to view the race from different camera angles, listen to the radio broadcast and hear the audio transmissions from the pits. Using IndyCar for iPhone’s Verizon-exclusive live coverage features, I watched intently as Scott Dixon roared from last to first, capturing his first win of the season and fifth win at Mid-Ohio. For Verizon wireless subscribers, these live features are a compelling reason to download the app. For the rest of the wireless world, the app contains a sizeable amount of content including news, video, photos, driver profiles and Indy Racing content. But without the live features, what’s the point? IndyCar 14 for iPhone is developed by Verizon, and authentication occurs instantly for Verizon wireless subscribers using the provider's LTE network. The app is a free download with no advertising. This review was conducted on an iPhone 5 version 7.1.2, with Verizon 3G LTE service.
VICTORY LANE: Four live video feeds available in a single “mosaic 4-in-1” view crown the feature set of Verizon IndyCar for iPhone. Sunday’s race included two feeds from the vantage point of IndyCar drivers, a real-time track map with driver positions and a view from the race control room. Each quarter-screen can be tapped to view the full screen feed. A real-time leaderboard complements the experience. Elsewhere, each IndyCar Series and Indy Lights race is detailed within a race-specific section. On race days, users can view the weekend schedule, spotter guide, driver performances, pit assignments and a high-res track map. Past races show results and rankings. A Race Weekend Concierge includes fun features like trivia, polls and Virtual Autograph, where users can submit their name and receive a personalized “autographed” image of a Verizon driver to share with their friends. Much of the app’s content is sharable via Facebook, Twitter, e-mail and SMS. Also notable is an IndyCar 101 section containing interesting content like the anatomy of an IndyCar and an explanation of the Pit Box layout.
SPEEDING TICKETS: Aside from the live coverage features, the app is "eh." The layout is functional, but it could use a refresh. Small, indistinguishable thumbnail images accompany news articles and video. Font size is uncomfortably small. The app’s navigation is outdated. Scrolling headlines are distracting. Content is broken into categories, but nothing is searchable. A crawling Twitter feed lives on the bottom of the home screen, but it is not interactive. The Race Weekend Concierge hosts some cool and convenient features, but it is hidden in a drop down menu and tough to navigate on the small iPhone screen.
BOTTOM LINE: For fans of IndyCar who subscribe to Verizon wireless, it is very cool to have access to live race video, audio and pit crew transmissions at no cost. The rest of the app contains good information that is poorly arranged. Aesthetic upgrades and a streamlined navigation would make a big difference in the user experience, but as many frustrated users point out in iTunes, the app is a major bummer for subscribers of any non-Verizon wireless carrier. Users give IndyCar14 for iPhone 1.5 stars in iTunes. I will give it 2 stars.
Amie Sheridan (amie.sheridan31@gmail.com) is a freelance writer in Philadelphia.
See Sheridan's previous App Review submissions for THE DAILY:
