By Amanda King, Lead Service Designer at Nimble Approach
We believe that great technology shouldn’t just function – it should feel intuitive and effortless. Our Product and Design team recently sat down to dissect the digital experiences that made a difference for them in 2025.
What makes a product indispensable? Is it the elegance of the UI, the resolution of a deep-seated pain point, or that rare “it just works” factor?
Technology is evolving faster than ever, and users’ expectations are rising with it. In 2026, products can no longer succeed by merely functioning – they must feel intuitive, seamless, and almost invisible in their use. The experiences that stood out to our Product and Design team in 2025 are more than just well-built tools – they are benchmarks for how technology can anticipate needs, simplify complexity, and create joy in every interaction.
We’ve distilled our team’s top ten nominations into a definitive list of products that are setting the benchmark for innovation and usability.
Amazon Kindle: The Art of Seamless Usability
The Kindle remains the gold standard for readability. Beyond the portability and the partner-friendly night reading, it’s the Whispersync ecosystem that stands out. Reading on the device at night and picking up the exact same sentence on a phone the next morning is a masterclass in cross-device synchronisation. It’s a reminder that the best features are often the ones you don’t have to think about.
Samsung Health: Data that drives behaviour change
Samsung Health was nominated for its ability to turn “big data” into personal wellness. It’s not just about capturing volume – it’s about actionable insights. By providing personalised suggestions on sleep quality and exercise timing, the app helps shift entire productivity schedules, proving that data is only as good as the behavior change it inspires.
Pleo: Killing the administrative burden
Expense management is traditionally a frustrating activity. The team highlights Pleo as the antidote. By prioritising a minimalist UI and intuitive drag-and-drop actions, Pleo does all the work for the user. It doesn’t just manage expenses – it anticipates missing details and provides genuine value through fantastic usability.
Moneybox: The new face of Investing
Moneybox was nominated as a disruptor in a crowded FinTech space. While traditional investment apps can feel “mainframe-y” and hidden behind complex menus, Moneybox offers a “really cool, really slick” interface. It encourages saving through clear projections and seamless bank integration, making the path to long-term wealth visible and accessible.
DuoLingo: Mastery through gamification
Can an app’s personality drive retention? DuoLingo uses “cheeky” (and slightly passive-aggressive) gamification to pressure users into daily habit-forming learning. With its expansion into maths and chess, and an interface so intuitive that young children can navigate it, DuoLingo proves that learning is most effective when it’s both playful and persistent.
Komoot: Precision for the path less traveled
When it comes to the great outdoors, Google Maps often falls short. Komoot was highlighted for its superior off-road routing. Whether hiking, mountain biking, or other activities, the app’s ability to customise routes and include ‘via points’ ensures users are led through scenic, lesser-known areas. It’s a specialised tool that delivers a specialised, high-quality experience.
Pizza Express App: Removing the friction
Sometimes, innovation is simply about identifying the most frustrating part of an experience and removing it. The Pizza Express app does this by allowing users to settle the bill via Apple or Google Pay the moment they finish eating. No more waiting for card machines while managing children. By integrating loyalty stamps and table check-ins, the app makes the digital layer a natural extension of the physical meal.
Hive: Life in remote-control
The Hive app is described as “life-revolutionising.” By allowing for remote climate control and lighting management, Hive removes the need to adhere to rigid schedules. It’s a product that solves a modern problem: the need for our homes to be as flexible and responsive as our lives are.
GDS: The gold standard for public service
In a moment of group consensus, our team praised the Government Digital Service (GDS). From “pretty slick” passport renewals using NFC chip reading, to the “pain-free” HMRC and childcare portals, the UK’s digital public services now rival, and often supersede, private-sector tech. It’s proof that accessibility-first design doesn’t have to sacrifice speed or clarity.
Uber: Ubiquity and Peace of Mind
Uber remains a powerhouse of convenience. Beyond the ability to get a cab anywhere, “Tracking and Safety” features were highlighted. For example using the app to book a ride for a visiting relative and watching them reach their destination safely highlights how Uber has evolved from a mere utility into a service that provides trackability, reliability, and security.
What These Products Teach Us About Great Design
What sets these products apart for our team? They transcend basic utility by combining high usability with the intentional removal of friction. Through thoughtful design, they transform routine transactions into meaningful, resonant experiences that build an emotional connection with the user through great design.
So raise the benchmark – don’t just focus on what a product does, but on how it feels to the people who use it.
Recommended reading
- A unified theory for designing just about anything, Christina Wodtke (blog) https://cwodtke.medium.com/a-unified-theory-for-designing-just-about-anything-b87f1e4f050b
- This Is Service Design Thinking, Marc Stickdorn & Jakob Schneider (book), Don’t Make Me Think (Revisited), Steve Krug (book)
