Short video clips are the basis for tech like Snap’s Spectacles and the now defunct Vine, but one start-up is literally putting video clips on the map. Enke is a new iOS app that allows users to see what’s happening nearby by arranging 10-second video clips on a map.
The videos are time-stamped and disappear after 24 hours, allowing users to see what’s happening around them that day. Content is sorted by category, including food, night life, and shopping, allowing anyone to explore what’s happening nearby.
Enke founders Ivan Dodd and Sheran Gnanapragasam say they envision the app creating a platform for anyone to see what’s going on at any particular area before deciding where to go. The idea originally started as a way to explore nearby bars and clubs, but the pair quickly realized the app could encompass a much larger range of events.
The app was developed using Google Firebase alongside Google Places and Maps. All content is user uploaded — users upload a 10-second video, tag a location, and post. Each user’s video becomes a map of what’s happening, and since the videos disappear after 24 hours, the platform aims to display only current events that are likely still happening.
The video clips are paired with other details on the location, including ratings, hours, and contact information for businesses at any tagged location. The app also lists how many users are attending the event. The app’s mix of reviews and static content with always-changing shots of what’s going on that same day is what sets Enke apart from other location based apps, the developers said.
“We realized during development that there were a number of scenarios Enke would be useful for that fell outside the original scope of what we wanted,” Dodd said. “Some of those uses would require functionality we hadn’t originally thought to build-in.”
Expanding the app’s scope beyond the night scene meant the development took about twice as long as the team originally anticipated, but increased the program’s potential user base.
The start-up is privately funded by both founders. Dodd formerly worked with Jet.com while Gnanapragasam owns the development firm Ardent Peak.
Available free on iOS, the start-up plans to release an Android version before the end of the year.
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