Following two years of technology development, York Science Park-based technology and media company, 1616 Media, is attempting to take the messaging and greeting market by storm by releasing a unique, new mobile app, called Weavyworld®. The app is will be available for free download from the Apple App Store or Google Play from the 9th of February in time for Valentine’s Day. The app allows anyone with a smartphone to send premium messages and greetings to anyone’s smartphone anywhere in the world – whether they have the app or not.
Users can search and browse premium content from hundreds of artists and designers, then favourite, personalise and send what’s called a ‘Weavy’ – a unique, new creative and narrative format, distributed via a digital mobile publishing platform. Users of the App can now reach out with a highly creative message or greeting that is personal and one to one, cuts through the noise of social media and costs the fraction of a posted card.
“The greetings card market is worth $30 billion globally,” commented CEO of 1616 Media, Suzy Edward, “but there are more and more of us now who do not find it convenient or affordable to find and send lots of greetings cards. Social media is too public and noisy, and peer-to-peer messaging platforms, like SnapChat and WhatsApp, are not stylish or creative enough. Weavyworld bridges the ‘intimacy gap’ between all these established ways of communicating in a simple and easy to use App.”
1616 Media are based at the York Science Park and Chief Executive Tracey Smith commented:
“1616 Media and Weavyworld are a great example of the high calibre of start-ups we have here at York Science Park and reflective of the strength of the technology and entrepreneurial businesses within York. With the team’s drive and ambition to succeed, along with the app’s exciting international dimension, we expect it will become the next big thing alongside the likes of Instagram. I hope everyone in York gets behind it.”
About Weavyworld®- the App
- The app is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play now.
- It is also available in UK and in English speaking countries like Canada, US, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
- The app is targeted at mainly 25-55 year-old smartphone users; particularly those with friends, family and loved ones who are living and working overseas.
- The app sends a ‘Weavy’ – a multi-pane narrative message crafted by artists and personalised by the user.
- Anyone with a smartphone can receive a Weavy – whether they have the app or not.
- Users of the app can browse through dozens of different artistic styles to find the most appropriate messages or greetings.
- The app uses a unique multi-image, narrative format to present the message to receivers.
- Users can personalise messages and greetings in a private encrypted format and can save or send to anyone in their address book – whether they have the app or not – as long as they have a smartphone
- In the next upgraded version, the app will also be able to store and schedule messages that can be sent on the day, hour or moment of a special occasion – so you will never have to miss that vital event again!
- Content on the app covers all the traditional events and occasions like Valentine’s Day, Easter, Christmas, Anniversaries, Birthdays and Celebrations.
- But uniquely, the app also sensitively provides messages and greetings around other social, emotional and ‘harder to react to’ occasions that traditional greetings don’t cater for, such as depression, loss, anger, bad news, bravery and forgiveness.
- It also aims to cover more fun ground by helping users be more witty, flirty, edgy, playful and profound.
“The Weavyworld App is part of a very complex digital publishing platform” said John Osborne , Chief Technology Officer “Building it meant we had to solve issues around the hosting and distribution of sophisticated, digital content to smartphones – but in a fun, easy to access way for the user. Technology-wise, Weavyworld brings together a number of innovations that seamlessly connects peoples’ smartphones with rich and entertaining media but without over burdening the internet or our mobile bills!”footprint once the app takes off.
“We are proud to be based in York, a city which has great potential to be innovative and world-leading – particularly in the space where technology meets creative media,” said Suzy Edward, CEO of 1616 Media, “York has a long history as a media city and is primed to re-invent itself for the twentyfirst century. It has a wealth of support infrastructure, such as the incubator hubs, and a huge pipeline of talent from the universities and cultural scene. We could not have found a better home for our ambitions.”
“I, myself, came to York twenty years ago to attend University and at that time, as a graduate, I had to go further afield to London and the US to make a mark in the mobile and technology industries. Hopefully companies like 1616 Media will prosper and provide lots of jobs and opportunities for our ambitious and talented young people to stay and build their careers here in the city.”
