User friction, a term describing pain points users encounter when interacting with digital products, can significantly hinder an app's success by impacting user retention and engagement. It can manifest in various ways, such as inefficient UX design, slow performance, confusing interfaces, and unclear value propositions, which can lead to user frustration and eventual abandonment of the app. To effectively address user friction, product managers and developers must utilize product analytics to identify its sources, such as unexpected drop-offs or chaotic user behavior, and implement solutions like minimizing steps, enhancing performance, and maintaining design consistency. Additionally, strategies like gamification and ensuring brand rapport can further mitigate friction by making the user experience more engaging and intuitive. Joseph Pacheco, founder of App Boss, emphasizes the importance of understanding user friction and iterating on design choices to enhance app usability and success.