Sequoia 1.5.9: Live Voiceover, Animations, and Improved Mechanics

Today we’re excited to introduce the new version of Sequoia - 1.5.9. If releases had awards, this one would definitely win “most lively and colorful.” And here’s why.

Live Voiceover

From the very first version of exercise voice guidance, users asked us to use real human voices. And we totally understood why. The native iOS VoiceOver sounded unnatural, sometimes mispronounced words, and didn’t support all languages well.

For people who learn better by listening, this could be frustrating. And as a result, we were losing users. Around 25–30% of people are auditory learners.

So when we got the chance, we fixed it. Now, instead of a robotic voice, you can hear warm, natural female voices. You can even pause here now and go try it - it’s worth it.

Animations

There’s a saying: “Kids don’t change, the toys do.” We think it applies to Sequoia too.

Our goal has always been to help men improve their health in a simple, engaging way. So we added a bit of gamification through animations.

Now app icons feel more alive. You’ll notice subtle movements - smooth and gentle, but noticeable. And they change depending on the user's progress: not started, completed, or skipped. I won’t spoil too much - it’s better to see it yourself in the app.

At the same time, Sequoia is still a health app. So it was important for us to keep the balance and not turn it into a game. We hope we got it right.

Improved Mechanics

We made solid improvements across the whole experience - from signup to onboarding and progress reports.

Progress bar during signup

For the past few versions, we’ve been hard working on improving signup completion, and we’ve already reached 40%. That’s good - but not the limit. In this release, we added a progress bar.

From a psychological point of view, it helps because:

• it reduces uncertainty
• people move faster when they see the finish line
• progress motivates completion

Updated onboarding

After signup, it’s important to guide users and help them start.

Before, onboarding was mostly informational. Now it feels more guided - with updated text, doctor photos, and clear actions. It feels like a specialist is helping you. 

The goal is not just to explain the app, but to start building a habit. We kept it short, clear, and still skippable.

Updated hero section

The hero section is the main block on the Today screen. It shows your progress in the 21-day program: current day, step, and how many exercises are left, and the time needed.

The key update is the “Start training” button. One tap - and you’re in.

You might ask: why not just tap the exercises?

Because the home screen has a lot of elements - settings, calendar, tracker, tabs, and others. It’s easy to get lost.

There’s a simple rule in mobile design: one screen - one action. For us, that action is completing your daily plan. The button helps you focus on that.

Updated course completion screen

When you finish the program, you will now see a completely redesigned screen. It’s the key moment - you see your results, feel the achievement, and get motivated to continue.

Now it shows:

• how many of the 21 days were completed fully
• total exercises completed
• your longest streak
• total time invested in your health

This is where you get your reward. You can also retake the test - right away or later.

Updated test results screen

Before, this screen only showed your score. Now you also see how it changed compared to previous results, plus a history and a simple graph.

Updated “Welcome back” screen

We’re all human. We all forget things sometimes. That’s okay.

The new “Welcome back” screen reflects that. Sequoia doesn’t judge - it supports and helps you return, even after a long break.

Final thoughts

I once heard a great line: “It’s not what you say - it’s how you say it.” And it’s true.

The same message can feel completely different depending on the tone.

We want Sequoia to feel not like a medical app, but like a place where you get support, care, and answers - without judgment.

And we’ll get there.

With respect and dedication to men's health,

Dzianis Halka
CEO Sequoia