The company behind FireChat, Open Garden, says this was made possible through the development of a peer-to-peer mesh networking technology across iOS and Android. Open Garden CEO and Co-founder Micha Benoliel said that off-the-grid messaging between iOS and Android helps people connect even when there is no infrastructure, though the 200 feet limitation does make you wonder why you can’t simply talk directly to the person you want to reach instead.
Though there doesn’t seem to be that many situations in which people need to turn to FireChat, Open Garden says it has reached the top 10 among social networking apps in over a hundred countries - and its popularity is particularly prominent in countries that may have poor internet access or government restrictions on internet.
FireChat’s Chief Marketing Officer Christophe Daligault told that the app has seen a surge in downloads in Iraq over the early months of 2014, for comparison, FireChat’s total number of downloads all over the world number about five million now. In terms of usage, Daligault revealed that Iraq is currently ranked second after the US. This happened as the Iraqi government ordered a total internet shutdown in five of the nation’s 19 provinces and limited internet access in the rest of the country.
FireChat is currently available in English, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Russian and Spanish. In addition to instant messages, FireChat also supports photo transfers, with the company saying the app has 'no significant impact on battery consumption' and no login, no password to remember.
For more details and to download FireChat, visit Open Garden website
