A couple of Ball State students have launched an iPhone social media and music application onto the market, but with extra emphasis on the “social” part.
The app is Caktus, and its purpose is to let users share the music they love with the people they care about.
Caktus users have access to a map that shows music that their Facebook and Twitter friends are listening to. It allows friends to share their current favorites whenever they like and as often as they like.
“Caktus offers actual connections through music,” said Dane Regnier, one of the app’s creators. “We’re social first.”
Regnier, who is taking a semester off from studying public relations at Ball State to focus on the app, said he got the idea for Caktus two years ago. The idea was inspired by music conversations he had with friends and a curiosity to know others’ music choices.
“I love independent music,” Regnier said. “That’s why we are really trying to support it with Caktus.”
However, he needed an iOS developer who could make his vision a reality.
His vision was set into motion in December when he met iOS developer, a junior computer science and entrepreneurship major, who had been a freelance developer for about four years. He was able to program Caktus in three months.
During that time, Acton said they had a team of 30 people to test more than a hundred different versions of the app. The testers provided feedback for each version so Acton and Regnier could improve.
“We keep a list for everything we’ve thought of for the app,” Acton said. “Basically, we’ll have the next couple versions of the app planned out and four or five different ideas for each version that we’re going to do.”
A key component to the app is that it’s a built-in music player and, according to Caktus’ website, it can “integrate seamlessly with Pebble, car stereos and other Bluetooth controllers.”
“We’re the only social network that we know of that has a fully integrated player built into the app,” Regnier said.
Since Caktus’ launch Feb. 12, Regnier said the feedback has been positive, including five-star reviews in the iTunes store.
“They’re not all from me, I promise,” he said.
Regnier said having the semester off has made it much easier to help Caktus realize its full potential. It was difficult to choose between Caktus and school, but the outcry from his friends to develop the program, as well as his love for music, solidified creating the app, Regnier said.
But there is still work to be done. He said Caktus recently added a third partner, Keith Williams, to help run the business side of things.
As for the next version of Caktus, users will be able to send song samples to each other, along with a chat system that will allow them to discuss the songs.
“The thought of these conversations happening through Caktus blows my mind,” Regnier said. “This is your place to go to see what people are listening to and care about.”
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