As if we thought the messaging field didn’t have enough players, now there’s another one kicking its ball into the fray.
The Wire messaging app has just launched today and is backed by Iconical and was founded by the same pioneers behind Microsoft’s Skype, a company that was purchased by Redmond back in 2011.
So what sets Wire apart from the massive amounts of competition?
Well, according to Wire, the app improves the messaging experience by combining a wide array of media formats into a single app. Wire supports one-to-one and group conversations. The conversations can contain pictures, links, SoundCloud music, and YouTube videos — all of which are displayed inline with Wire’s seamless interface.
The company focuses on three different things with Wire, according to the company’s CEO Jonathan Christensen:
Fidelity – Your conversations are valuable, memorable and indispensable. This fidelity should be preserved and presented in an immersive way. We engineered Wire for the latest devices, including the iPhone 6, retina iPads, and latest Android phones. Photos you share in Wire conversations display beautifully inline, with high resolution. Music from SoundCloud and videos from YouTube blend nicely with text and pictures.
Modality – Wire allows easily moving from text and pictures to HD voice. Our calling, engineered by some of the most renowned minds in internet audio, delivers a crisp and clear experience. It is as if the person you are speaking with is right there, with you. Wire accommodates better, more beautiful conversations without compromising simplicity — it is at the heart of how we think about interface design.
Platforms – We have built native, high-performance apps. Today, Wire is available on the App Store and Play Store for iOS, Android and OS X. A version for browsers is coming soon. Wire’s cloud architecture ensures conversations are in sync, across all devices with the same look and feel.
In addition, the app doubles as a phone and can connect HD voice calls between Wire users.
On paper, it sounds very similar to Voxox, an app that also combines a number of these different features across platforms. Unfortunately, Wire is notably absent on the Windows Phone platform as well as Windows PCs and tablets, which means you’ll likely be best suited with another option until all major platforms are supported.
Wire is available for free from the iTunes App Store, Google Play Store, and OS X App store and syncs across platforms and devices instantly. There’s also a browser version coming soon.