Color to Get Major Update, Fix 'Loneliness' Problem. Color, the dynamic photo-sharing app that made a splash with its launch yesterday, is already hard at work on the next version of its app. The update will directly address user criticism about the app's apparent lack of utility when a user's friends aren't nearby. The app, available for iPhone and Android, allows anybody to share their photos or videos with friends and strangers. The app detects who is nearby and automatically creates groups for sharing visual content.
There is no "friending" or "following" in Color, though. All the photos are public, and your circle of friends is determined by algorithm — based on how often you hang out with a person. The app is currently number two in the App Store for Social Networking and currently ranks number 26 for Top Free apps, but it has received mixed reviews from users and the media, largely because of a weak user experience when friends aren't nearby. I spoke with Color co-founder and CEO Bill Nguyen about the future of the product. Color CEO: The Tech Justifies the $41 Million. Last night, an app called Color hit the app stores for both iOS and Android. It made a big splash for a number of reasons, not the least of which being its $41 million prelaunch funding. It has all-star founders who have a impressive track records. It launched days after, instead of before, uber tech conference SXSW.
Unfortunately for the company, the app can offer a terrible experience for first-time users and appear absolutely useless to those outside of a densely packed, techie mecca like San Francisco or New York. Let's put all that aside for a moment, however, and look at how Color works, what it does, and why it could redefine mobile, location, and online social interaction.
Color: Much More Than Photos Color hit both the iTunes App Store and Android Marketplace last night, bringing with it the promise of real-time, proximity based photo sharing. According to Nguyen, Color is built on some serious technology. "We have no interest whatsoever in being acquired," said Nguyen. The Color Of Money. People. Colors. Apps. Cats. Bacon. Organic. Bieber. That’s the key slide in a faux-deck making the rounds this morning on the web. The most fascinating aspect about Color right now isn’t the product at all, it’s the intense backlash occurring on Twitter and the tech blogosphere. But let’s take a step back for a moment. Currently, everyone is trying to figure out why and how Color could raise so much money before they even launched. Also in that report is quite a bit of insight as to why the round ballooned to $41 million — and that’s exactly what happened, it ballooned.
“They told us that every 10 years or so a company and a marketplace and an opportunity come together that’s transformative. So are they insane? Well, they’re making a bet. Sequoia saw the product and talked to the founders about their vision for it. But that’s just one standpoint, and undoubtedly not the exit Sequoia would be looking for here. On paper, Twitter, and blogs, that again may sound like total BS.
Of course. 41 millions de dollars pour Color, un photo local based social network… Hier a eu lieu le lancement de Color, la nouvelle start up américaine avec plein de potentiel à l’intérieur! Color (notez que le nom de domaine color.com a été acheté 350.000$ en décembre dernier) propose donc une application pour smartphone (iphone et android) permettant de faire du partage de photo avec les personnes autour de vous. Avec Color on n’a donc plus besoin d’uploader des photos ou encore d’inviter des amis puisqu’ils sont au même endroit que vous… C’est donc une sorte de foursquare de la photographie, un mix d’instagram ou path avec foursquare.
Le principe est malin et finalement on peut parler de bonne idée pour cette équipe d’entrepreneurs qui a déjà démontré ses capacités à faire des succès. Dans l’équipe de Color il y a Bill Nguyen, le fondateur de Lala et Peter Pham fondateur de BillShrink et ancien VP de Photobucket. Le marché et les investissements se tournent définitivement vers le mobile. Color Founder Bill Nguyen: Why You're All Wrong And This Really IS A $41 Million Idea.