Addappt 1.3 is an iOS group messaging powerhouse
Yesterday, I wrote about Tempo, a replacement for Apple's Calendar app on iOS. Today, I want to continue that theme with a replacement for Apple's Contacts app.
Addappt (free, App Store) is a contact management app for iOS that's always up to date because it's maintained by your friends and colleagues. It's an amazing app (and one of my iOS picks of 2012) that allows you to keep your contacts current, and now it allows you to share in ways that you can't with the Apple's native iOS apps.
When you install it, Addappt scans your contacts and tells you if any of your contacts are using it. Then you can invite the contacts that you want to keep up-to-date information on. It's completely opt-in, so the recipient needs to confirm your request and verify their email address.
If someone's not already in your imported contacts, you can just add their email address and tap invite. The person will receive an email invitation asking them to join Addappt. If they accept and install the app, you'll be linked to them and their contact information will get updated any time they make a change. And vice-versa.
Addappt was just updated to version 1.3 and is now open to all, and dropping the invitation-only model will make it easier to get your colleagues to use it.
Other new features are outlined below.
Group management
The iOS Contacts app doesn't allow you to create groups, Addappt does. Just touch the pencil icon on the right of "My Groups" on the home screen. Addappt allows you to create a new group, delete one, or rename one — and changes are synced with the iOS contacts app. Adding contacts to a group is easy, too. Just navigate to the individual contact and touch the "group +" icon on the left of the name on the photo and select the groups you want to add to.
Group messaging
Addappt makes it easy to email or text a group of colleagues. With it, you can communicate with a group of contacts with a single touch. You can also attach multiple photos and send them to a group. If you don't like sharing photos on social networks, Addappt makes it easier to share photos, especially with people who aren't on Facebook.
The iOS Photos app limits sharing to five photos by email. If you individually attach them, there are no limitations but it takes 60 touches to attach 10 photos — not to mention the number of touches needed to add multiple contacts to send them to. With Addappt, you can attach 10 photos in 14 touches and you can share an album of 10 photos with only five touches. And sharing isn't limited to other Addappt users. It uses the native iOS Email and Messages apps, so you can email, text, or share photos with anyone.
Here's a video of Addappt CEO Mrinal Desai being interviewed on Fox Business Network.