Open Garden Releases FireChat App Enabling "Chatting Off the Grid"

New free app allows you to chat with people around you, on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, even when the Internet is not available.

News provided by

Open Garden

Mar 20, 2014, 08:51 ET

SAN FRANCISCO, March 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Open Garden announced today that its newest app, FireChat, is now available on the App Store. The app, available on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, gives people the ability to chat with those around them even when no Internet connection or cellular coverage is available.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140320/PH87312-a
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140320/PH87312-b

FireChat: The chat app that adapts whether connected or off-the-grid! (PRNewsFoto/Open Garden) (PRNewsFoto/OPEN GARDEN)

Now you can chat "off-the-grid" - Internet not needed. (PRNewsFoto/Open Garden) (PRNewsFoto/OPEN GARDEN)

FireChat demonstrates what's possible over peer-to-peer networks. Whether you're on the subway, watching a big game, at recess, or at the beach, you can now fire up FireChat with a friend or two and start chatting and sharing pictures.

"We may think that we need the Internet for everything. FireChat proves that's not always the case," said Micha Benoliel, Open Garden's CEO. "People ask me: how does this work without an Internet connection? Thanks to the Multipeer Connectivity Framework introduced in iOS 7, we are now able to deliver a best-in-class peer-to-peer chat experience to iOS users."

FireChat enables communication for scenarios such as disaster recovery and public safety. FireChat is also well-suited for any situation where you don't have reliable connectivity including schools and colleges, public transportation, stadiums, clubs, concerts, conferences, construction sites or outdoor festivals.

About FireChat

The FireChat App is available for free from the App Store on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch or at www.AppStore.com.

Features:

Instantly message anyone around you on iPhone, iPad or iPod touch,
Chat and share photos with one person or with a group,
See what people are talking about everywhere, or create conversations that only people near you can join,
Works even without any 3G, 4G or Wi-Fi connection,
Easy: no log-in, no password to remember,
No significant impact on battery consumption,
Available in English, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Russian and Spanish,
FireChat is designed for iOS 7.

About Open Garden

Open Garden is a San Francisco-based startup dedicated to connecting the next 5B mobile devices with peer-to-peer connections by leveraging the density of mobile devices.

Open Garden was recognized as Most Innovative Startup when it debuted at TechCrunch Disrupt NYC 2012, and was the Grand Prize Winner of the GMIC startup competition in October 2013. Over 3 million people have installed an Open Garden app. Find out more at www.opengarden.com

Press Contact:
Jenny Ryan - P. +1.415.800.4421 - Email