Walking alone? Companion App Will Give You Company, For Sure!
“Call us if you are getting late” is a frequent farewell sent by most parents and friends.
Companion is a free app for both iOS and Android meant for college students who feel uneasy and alone while walking home. Once the app gains popularity, it has the inherent ability to make various communities safer.
How does it work?
- One has to pick up one of the contacts as “companion” in the app.
- While you walk towards your destination, the companion will know where you are through a map – since a map link is sent through a text message so people who do not possess the app in their smartphone can still be your companions.
- One can quickly report if you feel nervous or afraid walking alone along your route due to any reason. Maybe there are intimidating strangers around or no one, you can still report scary activity nearby.
- Your companion can even track you down like the navigation app Waze, your feedback is recorded and the companion’s goal would be to send in helpful data for use of local law enforcement.
Companion app uses the iPhone’s sensors if you get embroiled in real danger. If the trip’s ETA gets longer than it should be, or you opt for the wrong way, you will kick an alert. If you start running with the iPhone clenched tightly, you might let off a trigger alarm too. The app recognizes another trigger when headphones are yanked out. If there is an Apple Watch app along with Companion, then any spike in your heartbeat will indicate that something happened with you out of the ordinary.
Even all the indications will not mean that you are actually in trouble. For that, the app gives you 15 seconds to respond if you are OK or in a problem before the app alerts companions and authorities.
App Receives Widespread Attention and Publicity Momentum
Companion app is gaining momentum on various college campuses and used by people when going for a trip. With the app, the makers feel that it will assure peace of mind for all types of people.
The app is not even a year old, and it has recently been redesigned. The makers are pushing for more activity and downloads in diverse campuses around the country.
Crime Alerts with the App
The makers consist of current and former students of the University of Michigan and they devised the app after a spate of crime alerts in the area. At first, the app was used to monitor each other and then they scaled it up to aid the local police. The makers revealed that many public safety departments are showing interest in the Companion app.
Yet, they feel that they need to work on the viral media to publicize the use of the app in more places and relying on word of mouth. The app is now in the stage of crowd sourcing enough data to make different areas safer.
The Present Reach and the Future
- The app, available on Android or iOS platforms, has seen nearly 500,000 new users in a week alone!
- The reviews have been pouring in and they are mostly rave. As the app uses the phone’s built-in sensors for detection of changes in movement along with a number of amazing use cases, it also has the ability to safeguard senior citizens and kids who are studying abroad just through the app.
- With the early feedback that the app received, the makers scaled it into a successful tracking app and included touch-ID technology for punching in I am Ok on the phone, since that action can be done by someone else too.
- The app is expected to storm in different US regions and even worldwide because of the universal benefit of safety rendered by the app in an uncluttered manner.
Ashish Patel is Sr iOS Developer at Nimblechapps – Good Progressive iPhone App Development Company. He believes in smart work. He spends his time dabbling with iOS technologies and SmartWatch Ideas. Looking to venture into the world of Apple HomeKit development and to share thoughts along the way!! He is an avid reader and very passionate about home automation and car automation. He is eagerly waiting for his car to have Apple CarPlay.