New Messaging App 'Carrier Pidge' Replaces Instant Texts with Virtual Pigeon Delivery

In a world saturated with push notifications and instant updates, a new messaging app hopes users will flock to it because of its more leisurely approach. Carrier Pidge is a platform app that can take a long time to deliver a message, and sometimes fails to do so entirely, just like in the old days when messages were sent by pigeon.

“The waiting is the point,” Carrier Pidge states on its website. The app delivers messages at the speed of a pigeon, meaning the further the sender and recipient are from each other, the longer delivery takes. One test message sent from Washington to a colleague in the UAE was projected to take about three days to arrive.

“Your messages are carried by a virtual pigeon that flies at 110mph (177kph), delivering based on the real GPS distance between you and your friend,” reads the app's description on Apple's iPhone App Store. Users can track the virtual messenger on its journey, though they are limited in sending additional messages while one is in transit. Reflecting real-world risks, there is also a 0.2 per cent chance of a message getting lost mid-flight, though users can purchase a “new pigeon” within the app for 99 cents.

Launched in April, the app is ranked 65th among social networking apps by downloads and holds a 4.6 out of 5-star rating from over 500 reviews. According to his LinkedIn profile, the app's developer is Noah Iarrobino, a software engineer who also works for Fidelity Investments. Mr Iarrobino graduated from the University of Iowa in 2020 and has previously developed other apps, including a snooze-charge alarm clock and a simple tapping counter game. He did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The National.

Unlike tech giants focused on instant connectivity, Carrier Pidge offers a slower alternative. “There is no pressure to answer instantly and no read-receipt performance,” the app notes. Furthermore, the app limits data collection and allows users to set custom locations rather than sharing live GPS coordinates. Currently, the free app is available exclusively on the iPhone.