With the number of mobile apps that hit the market on a consistent basis, it's hard to tell which ones are going to stick and which ones aren't. Success is sometimes found in the most unlikely of places.
You didn't know you needed the ability to make six-second videos until Vine showed you exactly how much you could accomplish in that amount of time. Instagram came up during the Hipstamatic era when apps were really maximizing the potential of increasing mobile phone camera technology, but offering fewer options instead of more quickly edged out the competition.
Let's not even get started on the Twitter beast that's so large, the iconic Mariah Carey and innovative Will.I.Am have singles where the official name is a hashtag. Okay, that last one may or may not be a good thing, but it's the perfect illustration of just how big Twitter has become.
That being said, a slow and steady buzz is beginning to build around a recent edition to the app store, Tunepics. While this app overlaps dangerously into Instagram territory, it adds an element to the phone fave that might play into the "Selfie" generation's narcissism just enough to make some headway of its own.
On the surface, the similarities are readily apparent: photos, filters, like, comment, follow. We get that this is the blueprint so no real problems here, nor anything exciting or new. What's different is the ability to add music, or snippets, directly to your posts from the expansive iTunes store and the ability for your followers to purchase your suggested songs.
Tunepics features weather-themed filters such as rain, sunshine, and rainbows, and also allows you to reply with an emotion describing how the share made you feel. The thing is, none of these concepts are new or original to Tunepics but they've expertly done what we all would like to do. Now, you can curate and improve upon all of the best qualities of multiple apps into one super app.
These are all great features, a standout being the ability to purchase songs via iTunes, which could potentially add a new dynamic to charting songs and artists. It's also timely, considering the recent collaboration of Billboard and Twitter to present real-time rankings using trending music.
The final push that could potentially deliver Tunepics its lease onto iPhone Springboards nationwide is the endorsement pitch that's already behind it. Airbnb, AllSaints, Asos, Will.I.Am, Kate Bosworth and Paul Smith are all among the list of celebs, brands, and musicians already signed up to spread the good news of Tunepics.
While users are still far too fickle to say anything is going to be a huge/definite success, it's hard to deny that the crew over at Tunepics might just have all of their ducks in a row on this one. Until we know for sure we'll be reviewing this from our local coffee shop and browsing filters that fit Michael Buble's version of "Feelin' Good."
Hugo Beniada is a marketer at Fueled, the leading iPhone app builder in New York City, renowned for its award winning mobile design and strategy.