Staying connected on the go is easy thanks to free Wi-Fi and mobile data, but what if you have access to none of that? FireChat for iOS has the answer.
Launched today, the app takes advantage of the Multipeer Connectivity Framework available in iOS 7.
From the iOS Developer Library:
“The Multipeer Connectivity framework provides support for discovering services provided by nearby iOS devices using infrastructure Wi-Fi networks, peer-to-peer Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth personal area networks and subsequently communicating with those services by sending message-based data, streaming data, and resources (such as files).”
In layman’s terms, apps that utilize the framework can communicate with nearby iOS devices long as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth is turned on.
FireChat users can also send photos alongside text messages, and Developer Open Garden says that photo sharing has no major impact on battery life.
There is no need to sign up for an account, which lets users stay anonymous, and you can check out the “Nearby” tab to see all the conversations in your vicinity.
The messaging app does have one downside, and that is its range to connect with nearby iOS devices is only around 100 feet.
However, FireChat is more geared towards events, even working in disaster situations, and less chatting with your BFF who’s in another room.
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