Microsoft
Xim is launching today, built by Microsoft Research's
FUSE labs as an app to simplify mobile photo sharing.
Xim is Microsoft's take on quick Snapchat-like photo
sharing without the hassle. What's unique and unusual
about Xim is, unlike Snapchat, not everyone who
receives a Xim needs the app to view photos. Microsoft
is creating non-permanent cloud-based Xims that are
viewable in a browser and are sychronized across all
users that are invited to a particular Xim.
All content in a Xim "expires after a little while" says
Microsoft, and a Xim creator can use an Android, iOS, or
Windows Phone app to add photos from a device,
OneDrive, Dropbox, Facebook, or Instagram. Once up to
50 photos are selected, a Xim is created and it's easy to
add friends via their mobile number or email address.
There's a group chat feature, and participants with the
app can add additional photos or swipe and pan through
images. Xim is positioned as an app to avoid having to
pass your phone to friends to view photos in person, but
it seems unlikely that an app can replace the simple
experience of sitting next to a friend and flicking
through photos from a recent vacation or trip.
Microsoft believes Xim will help avoid over sharing
personal photos in this type of situation, or even
prevent friends huddling around one phone. It's a nice
idea, but using Xim as a slideshow app for groups of
friends seems like a more realistic way this app could be
used. There are also lots of methods to share photos
with friends these days, so it's difficult to see how Xim
can break through against Facebook, Instagram,
Snapchat, and even messaging apps like WhatsApp and
Line. Despite the challenges, Microsoft is launching Xim
across iOS, Android, and Windows Phone app stores
later today.
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