In a world saturated with push notifications and instant updates, a new messaging app hopes users will flock to it because of its more leisurely approach.
Carrier Pidge is a platform app that can take a long time to deliver a message, and sometimes fails to do so entirely, like in the old days, when messages were sent by pigeon. “The waiting is the point,” Carrier Pidge states on its website.
The app delivers messages at the speed of a pigeon, so the further the sender and recipient are from each other, the longer it takes to deliver a message. This correspondent sent a message from Washington to a colleague in the UAE. Carrier Pidge says it will take about three days to arrive.
“Your messages are carried by a virtual pigeon that flies at 110mph (177kph), delivering based on the real GPS distance between you and your friend,” Carrier Pidge's description reads on Apple's iPhone App Store.
The app gives users the option to track the virtual feathered messenger as it makes its brave journey around the world. While a message is in transit, you're also limited in your ability to send other messages. In keeping with the realities of what carrier pigeons once experienced, there's also a small chance your message won't arrive.
“Not every pigeon makes it,” the description explains. “With a 0.2 per cent chance of getting lost mid-flight and +25 per cent speed variance, every message is a small adventure.” You do, however, have the option of buying a “new pigeon” within the app for 99 cents.
The app launched in April and is ranked 65th among social networking apps by downloads. It has a score of 4.6 out of 5 stars based on more than 500 reviews. According to his LinkedIn profile, the app's developer, Noah Iarrobino, is a software engineer who also works for Fidelity Investments, “helping build a financial literacy experience”.
Mr Iarrobino graduated from the University of Iowa in 2020 and has since developed several apps, including a smartphone alarm clock that charges users 99 cents for hitting the snooze button, as well as an app that encourages users to simply tap the screen as many times as possible while it keeps count. He did not immediately respond to The National's requests for an interview.
Whereas Facebook founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg often said he wanted to help “connect the world”, Carrier Pidge flies a different route. “There is no pressure to answer instantly and no read-receipt performance,” the app's description states. “When the pigeon lands, the message has earned a moment of attention.”
Carrier Pidge limits the information it collects, allowing users to set whatever location they want. “Your friends see a broad region, not your home, street, or live location,” the developer explains. The app is free and, for now, available only on iPhone.
