What happened to Relax Melodies app?
Relax Melodies was a popular sleep and relaxation app available on iOS, Android, and web browsers. The app was first launched in 2012 by French startup ipnos Software. It quickly became one of the top apps in the Health & Fitness category, with over 35 million downloads across platforms.
Relax Melodies provided mixable sounds like rain, waves, wind, and ambient music to help users fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Key features included creating custom mixes, setting sleep and wake timers, recording your own sounds, and tracking sleep patterns. The app offered over 100 high-definition audio tracks and new content was frequently added.[1]
Sudden Removal
In early 2022, Relax Melodies was suddenly removed from both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store without any warning, much to the surprise of its users. The app had over 35 million downloads prior to its removal, and was one of the most popular sleep and relaxation sound apps available. Its abrupt disappearance left many users confused as to what happened.
According to an official statement later released on the Relax Melodies website, the app was removed due to a trademark dispute. However, at the time, users were not given any explanation and were perplexed when they could no longer download or access the app.
As reported by this Google Play Store listing, Relax Melodies had over 1 million reviews and a 4.6 star rating before it vanished. Users relied on the app’s mix of calming sounds, ambient music, and meditation features as part of their nightly routines. Its abrupt removal was therefore very disruptive for many of its loyal users.
Speculation & User Frustration
Many users were upset and confused when Relax Melodies suddenly disappeared. There was no warning or explanation given when the app was removed from app stores.
This led to speculation among users about what could have caused Relax Melodies to be taken down so abruptly. Some theorized there were technical issues like bugs or glitches that led to the app being removed (Source). Others thought perhaps Relax Melodies was acquired by another company who decided to take down the app (Source).
There was also speculation that legal problems or licensing issues forced the app to be removed unexpectedly. Some users wondered if Relax Melodies had violated any terms of service agreements with app stores that led to its takedown (Source).
Whatever the reason, users were frustrated and upset at the loss of an app many relied on for sleep, relaxation, and managing health conditions like tinnitus. The sudden disappearance left many questions unanswered.
Official Explanation
Eventually the developers of Relax Melodies revealed that the app had been acquired and absorbed into another platform. In July 2020, it was announced that Relax Melodies had been acquired by Sleep Inn, a hotel chain owned by Choice Hotels. As part of the acquisition, Sleep Inn started offering free premium access to the Relax Melodies app for all hotel guests during their stay.
Details on the acquisition indicate that Relax Melodies was purchased by Sleep Inn in order to enhance the sleep experience for hotel guests. By providing free access to the Relax Melodies library of relaxing sounds, backgrounds, and melodies, Sleep Inn aimed to help travelers sleep better while away from home. This allowed Sleep Inn to differentiate their hotels in the competitive hospitality industry.
While the app continued functioning for existing users after the acquisition, it stopped being updated or available for new downloads. The long-term plan was for Relax Melodies to be fully integrated into platforms owned by Sleep Inn’s parent company, Choice Hotels International.
Replacement Platform
In March 2022, Relax Melodies was acquired and replaced by a new meditation and sleep app called BetterSleep. BetterSleep is developed by SleepSpace, a company focused on creating AI-powered solutions for better sleep. According to their FAQ page, the Relax Melodies libraries and data were migrated over to the new BetterSleep platform.
BetterSleep offers similar meditation, ambient sounds, sleep stories, breathing programs and more that were available in Relax Melodies. Some key features of BetterSleep include:
- Soothing sleep and meditation content
- Personalized recommendations using AI
- Sleep tracking and sleep health analytics
- Nature sounds, ambient music and white noise
- Guided meditations for relaxation
Overall, BetterSleep aimed to take the best features of Relax Melodies and improve upon them. Existing Relax Melodies users could simply update their app and access all of their previous content while gaining access to the new features and design of BetterSleep.
User Response
Many existing Relax Melodies users were frustrated when the app was suddenly removed without warning in July 2020 [1]. The replacement app, BetterSleep, was immediately available but lacked some key features that Relax Melodies users had relied on for better sleep. This led to significant backlash and negative reviews for BetterSleep in the early days after the transition [2].
Long-time Relax Melodies users complained about missing sound mixes, lost sleep data history, and subscription access issues after switching to BetterSleep. There was also criticism that BetterSleep had fewer customization options and an inferior user interface compared to Relax Melodies [3]. However, Negative sentiment has softened over time as BetterSleep continues to add requested features and improvements.
Ongoing Support
When Relax Melodies was acquired by BetterSleep in July 2022, there was initial confusion and concern amongst Relax Melodies users about the future support for the app. According to a BetterSleep FAQ page, existing Relax Melodies users can still access the full app features by updating to the latest version. The FAQ states that “You can access the new and improved app by updating your old Relax Melodies app to Version 20.0.”
This indicates that BetterSleep aims to continue providing support and updates to existing Relax Melodies users, even after migrating the app to their new platform. Users do not need to pay for the subscription service right away and can still use core features like sound mixes and playlists. However, new capabilities may require a paid subscription in the future.
While the initial acquisition led to confusion, it appears ongoing support is a priority for BetterSleep. They want to ensure a smooth transition for the app’s large user base. Existing users are encouraged to update the app to continue accessing key features.
Key Differences
Relax Melodies was known for its wide selection of ambient sounds and ability to mix multiple tracks for a customized relaxation experience. The app offered over 100 high-quality sounds like rain, thunderstorms, forest ambience, white noise, and more that users could layer and adjust volumes on.
In comparison, the new Calm platform has a more limited sound library without the ability to mix multiple tracks. There are around 25 background sounds to choose from such as rain, ocean waves, crickets, wind, and fireplace. But users are not able to layer or customize these sounds.
Another key difference is the guided meditation content. Relax Melodies had some guided meditations but focused more on the ambient sounds. Calm has over 100 guided meditations for sleep, anxiety, focus, and more. However, long-time Relax Melodies users note the lack of custom, layered soundscapes for relaxation.
Additionally, Relax Melodies offered nature video pairings with sounds and the ability to cast content to TVs. Calm does not currently have these features. Overall, while Calm has high-quality meditations, the ambient sound functionality is more limited compared to Relax Melodies.
Future Outlook
The long-term impact of Relax Melodies shutting down remains to be seen. As one of the top sleep apps, Relax Melodies had over 35 million downloads worldwide and significant market share. Its abrupt removal from app stores left many loyal users frustrated.
Relax Melodies’ parent company, Anheuser-Busch InBev, launched a new sleep app called Dreamy in an effort to retain users. However, early user response on app stores indicates mixed reactions. While some appreciate the similar functionality, others complain of downgraded features and lost preferences.
It remains uncertain if Dreamy can fully capture Relax Melodies’ past success. Market analysts believe competition is heating up in the sleep app space from apps like “Calm” and sleep tracking platforms. Maintaining market leadership long-term without Relax Melodies’ strong brand recognition could prove challenging.
Ultimately, the future landscape depends on Dreamy’s ability to innovate new features tailored to users’ sleep needs. If not, the opportunity exists for a new breakout sleep app to disrupt the market. Continued demand clearly exists for apps that can provide customized, effective and relaxing sleep solutions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the sudden removal of Relax Melodies from app stores in January 2023 came as a shock to many loyal users who had relied on the app for sleep and relaxation. The makers of the app, Ipnos Software, later released an official statement explaining that certain content licensing agreements had expired, necessitating the app’s removal.
Ipnos Software pointed users to DreamyKid as an alternative app, however many users expressed frustration at losing their favorited mixes and settings. While DreamyKid aims to provide similar high-quality mixes and soundscapes, there are key differences in features that may disappoint longtime Relax Melodies users.
It remains unclear if Relax Melodies will ever return or if DreamyKid is its permanent replacement. For now, Ipnos Software continues to encourage users to explore DreamyKid for their relaxation needs, though the transition has no doubt been a difficult one for fans of the popular Relax Melodies app.
