The kids over at Addappt are back with a new build of their contact app for Android, so I snagged Mrinal Desai, a founder of the startup to dig into just what is new, why we might care, and where the company is headed.
The below builds off our last TechCrunch interview with Desai, trying to divine how the app would grow on the Android platform. Now Desai is back to explain how that hoped-for growth translated. Here’s how, and why the rubber met the road.
(The interview has been condensed lightly, and edited for format.)
For the non-users out there, what does the new Android version contain that is fresh compared to prior builds of Addappt?
It is our biggest update yet since we made addappt available on Android a year ago – it is completely redesigned from the ground up and with some exciting new functionality, which will especially be appreciated by Android users who have updated to Lollipop, full group support and more!
Since we last spoke, how quickly has Addappt grown?
Our presence on Android has been very meaningful and strategically important for us in helping us seed addappt in Asia, especially India. Addappt is also available in Simplified and Traditional Chinese.
This has also led to some great conversations with a few operators and manufacturers alike in India and other markets with similar characteristics. India is taking off for us comprising 40% of our Android sessions so far.
It has also enabled new countries show up on strong on our radar like Romania, for example.
Where are you deploying more resources currently, iOS or Android?
I would say we are now at 50/50 and this update will dictate how we move ahead.
We recently also “unbundled” and released our one ‘tapp’ messaging as an Apple Watch app (an update for that coming soon as well) and are very excited about the Watch OS 2 making apps native on the Watch – we see a lot of opportunity there too.
Any plans to bring the code to new platforms?
Being a small business with limited resources, we leverage it to being focused so we are not considering other platforms. But having said that, we are always willing to addappt.
I presume that you are still not looking to raise external capital?
Yes.
We have remained self funded, frugal and done very well with how we allocate resources ‘on demand’. Fortunately thanks to some incredible folks, we have been able to tap into them on all our big releases like this current addappt 2.0 for Android. We added 2 fantastic interns from the Computer Science Department from the University of Washington just for this and they thrilled us.
Thank you again to Colin and Williams.
Will the new Android version help Addappt grow more quickly?
Yes but we focused this update to be more about functionality that makes addappt a better standalone address book (i.e. without any friends using it), an address book that would be a fantastic replacement for that provided by the Android phones.
The group support (along with group email and group texting) and Favorites does not need any of your friends using addappt.)
What can people expect from your company next?
Our roadmap is very long including some compelling enough that we have filed patents for them.
In terms of expectations, you can be sure we intend to stay focused on the address book and stay true to its cause and our view of it.
If TechCrunch readers have suggestions, we are always listening on help@addappt.com – we have real people on that email who actually listen and respond.
In a year, how big is Addappt?
We believe we have a long way to go and honestly couldn’t say how big. Few strategic events can drastically change a trajectory. Jorge and I believe we have become big/ successful when we create an organization that users and employees can trust – Trust that they will not be tricked into spamming their contacts. Trust that their data is not being sold.
Trust that we have high ethical standards. Trust that we don’t screw our employees. Users, investors and media should hold all organizations responsible for it. Some of our “competitors” use extremely unethical standards and it is a little frustrating for us since it hurts us. In terms of users, it is a little too early to say but the early indications of this launch are very promising.
Author’s note: Desai originally included a changelog in his first answer. If you are into such things, the company’s Google Play page contains similar information.
I’ll check back with Addappt in another six months to see how things are progressing.