Bloodaxe Poetry is a free digital anthology of poems, audio, and video from nearly 100 poets, developed for iOS by Newcastle University and Bloodaxe Books.
The App DNA
What makes this app unique?
Users hire this app for curated access to contemporary poetry that is not easily discoverable in general-purpose search engines, serving as a mobile-first reference tool for students and literature enthusiasts.
For Poetry readers and students interested in contemporary literature and works published by Bloodaxe Books.
What does it look like?
Key features
Access to poems, audio, and video recordings from nearly 100 poets published by Bloodaxe Books.
Search by poet or poem title, or browse by themes, categories, and media type.
Save specific poems to a personal list for quick navigation.
How much does it cost?
The app functions as a free promotional tool for the Bloodaxe Books publishing imprint.
Velocity
Dormant developmentUX improvementsShow more...
Bloodaxe Poetry has been inactive for approximately 2,560 days, placing it firmly in the zombie category. The last recorded update was a minor change to the feedback mechanism, and there has been no development activity since. The lack of updates over this extended period indicates the project is no longer being actively maintained.
Who built it?
University of Newcastle upon Tyne
2 apps tracked · Entertainment
Rock Art CAREUser Sentiment
What do users think recently?
How are ratings & reviews evolving?
Not enough recent reviews to extract reliable themes yet.
Read the full review analysisCompetition
Competitive landscape for Bloodaxe Poetry
How's the Entertainment market?
Bloodaxe Poetry maintains a static presence in the Entertainment category as a free utility. The lack of updates for over 2,500 days signals a shift away from active user acquisition toward a legacy support model.
Read the market outlookThe rivals identified
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Access the full report for freeThe Analyst's Read
Key takeaways for Bloodaxe Poetry
Where is it heading?
The market for static poetry archives is consolidating around platforms that offer social interaction and algorithmic discovery. Bloodaxe Poetry's current posture is exposed, as the lack of feature iteration limits its ability to compete with modern, active reading apps.
- The seven-year update gap indicates a lack of investment in mobile-first discovery, which will accelerate user churn as mobile OS standards evolve.
The SWOT
- Curated high-quality content library provides a distinct barrier to entry for generic poetry apps
- Integration of social-reading features could convert the passive library into an active community hub
Next best moves
Sunset the mobile application because the seven-year update gap creates brand-damaging technical debt → reduce support overhead
The counter-intuitive read
The app's seven-year update drought is not a failure of maintenance…
Read the full takeSince the last report: The competitive assessment has shifted from viewing the app as a stable legacy asset to a declining liability due to prolonged inactivity.
Bottom line
Bloodaxe Poetry provides a valuable, curated archive for literature enthusiasts, but its seven-year maintenance-mode status risks total obsolescence as mobile OS standards evolve, so the publisher should either commit to a feature-refresh sprint or transition the content to a web-based format.
Unlock 1 critical friction, 1 market threat and the analyst’s take.
Access the full report for freeSources
- [1] App Store, source
Report last updated