A sidetrack, before I comment on navigation.

Maybe I missed it, or maybe it was never openly discussed, but I am presuming the work you are doing goes towards what might eventually be implemented via an eventual softfork/hardfork following consensus among the witnesses? Or is this a free-standing application, like the old SteemPeak which lived on its own domain and pulled from the chain?

UX design is definitely a tricky business, without significant consensus as to "what works best." Based on the idea that Steemit is in desperate need of attracting new users, the models that make most sense are those that substantially draw from the shrinking pool of people who have only recently become web users.

Even though this is an English-language base, we draw heavily from parts of the world where mobile is likely a person's only point of access, so getting it right matters.

I still think PeakD does a decent job with their mobile version... although their separation of "information" and "actions" could be better. eBay does a decent job, too although it's an irritant that they keep forcing "log in or create account" on users with virtually every move. But once you're logged in, it's decent... a relevant example, because eBay is very information heavy, like Steemit.